CIS Benchmark Compliance
PA-02High

Use Dedicated Admin Accounts for CIS Benchmark Compliance

Learn how PA-02 helps you meet CIS Benchmark requirements for Microsoft 365 and Entra ID security.

Organizations pursuing CIS Benchmark compliance need to address use dedicated admin accounts as part of their security program. The PA-02 control maps directly to CIS Benchmark requirements, helping demonstrate compliance while strengthening your security posture.

How PA-02 Addresses CIS Benchmark Requirements

CIS Benchmark requires organizations to implement controls around use dedicated admin accounts. The PA-02 control provides:

  • Administrative roles are assigned to dedicated admin accounts (e.g., admin-john@contoso.com)
  • Daily work accounts do not hold privileged role assignments
  • Admin accounts are cloud-only (not synced from on-premises AD)

These measures directly support CIS Benchmark compliance by ensuring proper privileged_access security in your Microsoft 365 environment.

Implementation for Compliance

To satisfy CIS Benchmark requirements with this control:

  • **Enable the control** - Follow the manual configuration steps
  • **Document your implementation** - Record how the control was configured
  • **Maintain evidence** - TrueConfig automatically logs compliance status
  • **Monitor continuously** - Track any deviations from the expected state

Evidence Collection

For CIS Benchmark audits, you'll need to demonstrate:

  • Current configuration state
  • Historical compliance data
  • Remediation actions taken
  • Continuous monitoring in place

TrueConfig provides all of this evidence through its audit trail and reporting features.

Why This Control Matters for CIS Benchmark

When an attacker compromises a daily work account through phishing or malware, they should not gain admin access. Dedicated admin accounts limit blast radius and enable stricter controls like device requirements.

Implementing PA-02 is an important step toward CIS Benchmark compliance. Combined with TrueConfig's continuous monitoring, you can demonstrate ongoing adherence to CIS Benchmark requirements.

Ready to achieve CIS Benchmark compliance?

TrueConfig continuously monitors your Microsoft 365 tenant for compliance with CIS Benchmark requirements, including this control.