Limit Global Administrators to 2-4 for Zero Trust Compliance
Learn how PA-01 helps you meet Zero Trust requirements for Microsoft 365 and Entra ID security.
Meeting Zero Trust standards for Microsoft 365 involves implementing controls like PA-01 (Limit Global Administrators to 2-4). This guide covers the specific Zero Trust requirements addressed by this control and how to achieve compliance.
How PA-01 Addresses Zero Trust Requirements
Zero Trust requires organizations to implement controls around limit global administrators to 2-4. The PA-01 control provides:
- Between 2 and 4 principals have the Global Administrator role
- No single point of failure (minimum 2)
- Attack surface is minimized (maximum 4)
- No service principals have Global Administrator (use least-privilege)
- No groups have Global Administrator (hidden privilege escalation risk)
These measures directly support Zero Trust compliance by ensuring proper privileged_access security in your Microsoft 365 environment.
Implementation for Compliance
To satisfy Zero Trust 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 Zero Trust 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 Zero Trust
Global Administrators have unrestricted access to your entire tenant. Too many increases your attack surface; too few risks lockout. Service principals and groups with Global Admin are especially dangerous - service principals can be compromised via app credentials, and groups hide who actually has the role. Microsoft recommends 2-4 permanent Global Admins for most organizations.
Implementing PA-01 is an important step toward Zero Trust compliance. Combined with TrueConfig's continuous monitoring, you can demonstrate ongoing adherence to Zero Trust requirements.
Ready to achieve Zero Trust compliance?
TrueConfig continuously monitors your Microsoft 365 tenant for compliance with Zero Trust requirements, including this control.