GOV-01Moderate

How to Fix: Review Stale User Accounts

Step-by-step guide to implement review stale user accounts in your Microsoft 365 environment.

15-20 minutes

Estimated Time

4

Steps

medium

Severity

Recommended Secure

Baseline Level

Why This Matters

Unused accounts are common attacker footholds. Former employees, contractors, or forgotten accounts can be compromised without detection. Regular review ensures only active users retain access.

Prerequisites

  • 1Global Administrator or appropriate admin role in Microsoft Entra ID
  • 2Access to Microsoft Entra admin center (entra.microsoft.com)

Expected Configuration

  • User accounts inactive for 90+ days are identified and reviewed
  • Stale accounts are either disabled, deleted, or documented as exceptions
  • Sign-in activity is reviewed at least quarterly

Remediation Steps

1

Review Current Configuration

Assess your current configuration in Microsoft Entra admin center.

  • Navigate to the relevant section in Entra admin center
  • Document current settings
  • Compare against expected state
2

Plan Implementation

Determine the changes needed to meet the expected configuration.

  • Review expected configuration requirements
  • Identify affected users or resources
  • Plan rollout strategy
3

Implement Changes

Apply the necessary configuration changes.

  • Make required configuration updates
  • Apply to appropriate scope
  • Document changes made
4

Validate and Monitor

Verify the changes are working as expected.

  • Run TrueConfig scan to verify compliance
  • Test affected functionality
  • Set up ongoing monitoring

Related Resources

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