Authorization in Azure
Learn how RBAC and ABAC authorization to the Azure resources work and how their assignment works at different scopes.
Azure roles are used to authorize users, groups, applications, and resources to access the resources in Azure like storage accounts and databases. These roles differ from Microsoft Entra roles because Microsoft Entra roles are used to manage authorization in Microsoft Entra ID resources, like providing permissions for creating or editing users, assigning administrative roles to others, resetting user passwords, etc. However, Azure roles are used to manage authorization to Azure resources. Azure provides robust authorization capabilities, including role-based access control (RBAC) and policy enforcement mechanisms, to ensure the security of resources within Azure. Typically, authorization can be divided into role-based authorization and attribute-based authorization.
Role-based access control (RBAC): Azure’s RBAC allows organizations to define granular access controls by assigning roles to users, groups, or applications. By using RBAC, organizations can control access to critical resources and restrict unauthorized actions.
Attribute-based access control (ABAC): Azure‘s ABAC is a form of access control methodology wherein the authorization decisions are based on the various attributes associated with an entity, such as its identity or location. This approach provides more granular resource control than traditional role-based access control. It can be used to develop fine-grained access control that can be applied across multiple systems and services.
Best practices for security
It is essential to implement security best practices when configuring your Azure subscription and resource groups:
To start, Azure should be configured with the principle of least privilege in mind. This means that every user should only have access to the resources they need and no more.
Additionally, administrators should consider using role-based access control (RBAC), which allows us to assign different roles to users that dictate what type of access they are permitted for specific resources within a subscription or resource group.
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