PA-01-L2: Eliminate Permanent Global Administrators

Frequently asked questions about implementing and managing the PA-01-L2 security control in Microsoft 365 and Entra ID.

Q
What is PA-01-L2 (Eliminate Permanent Global Administrators)?
A

PA-01-L2 is a security control that permanent global admin accounts are always-on attack targets. with pim, admins activate access only when needed, reducing the attack window from 24/7 to minutes per day. this is a fundamental zero trust control. It requires that zero permanent human global administrator assignments and all global admin access is through pim eligible assignments, only emergency access accounts retain permanent global admin.

Related controls:PA-01-L2
Q
Why is Eliminate Permanent Global Administrators important for Microsoft 365 security?
A

Permanent Global Admin accounts are always-on attack targets. With PIM, admins activate access only when needed, reducing the attack window from 24/7 to minutes per day. This is a fundamental Zero Trust control.

Related controls:PA-01-L2
Q
How do I implement PA-01-L2 in my tenant?
A

Converts permanent assignments to PIM eligible with preview and approval

Related controls:PA-01-L2
Q
What license do I need for PA-01-L2?
A

This control requires Azure AD Premium P2 (included in Microsoft 365 E5) or standalone P2.

Related controls:PA-01-L2
Q
Which security baseline includes PA-01-L2?
A

PA-01-L2 is included in the Enhanced Security baseline (Level 2). This level adds stricter controls for security-conscious organizations.

Related controls:PA-01-L2
Q
Why is PA-01-L2 marked as critical severity?
A

PA-01-L2 is rated critical because failure to implement this control significantly increases the risk of security incidents. Permanent Global Admin accounts are always-on attack targets. With PIM, admins activate access only when needed, reducing the attack window from 24/7 to minutes per day. This is a fundamental Zero Trust control.

Related controls:PA-01-L2

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