Microsoft Entra ID · Privileged Identity Management
PIM Administration
Responsibility profile, not a separate Microsoft Entra role. Privileged Role Administrator is the least-privileged directory role for managing Privileged Identity Management.
Scope: Full Privileged Identity Management configuration and governance
Permissions
- PIM - Full PIM management
- PIM Settings - Configure PIM settings for all Entra roles
- Approvals - Approve or deny role activation requests
- Workflows - Configure approval workflows and approvers
- Activation - Set activation requirements (MFA, justification, ticket)
- Duration - Configure activation duration limits
- Audit - Review PIM audit logs and history
- Role Assignments - Manage eligible and active role assignments
- Notifications - Configure notifications for role activations
- Alerts - Set up PIM alerts and thresholds
- PIM for Groups - Manage PIM for Groups settings
Common use cases
- Just-in-time access implementation
- Role activation workflow management
- Privileged access governance
- Approval process configuration
- PIM policy standardization
- Activation alerting configuration
- Emergency access procedure setup
- Compliance audit support
Best practices
- Limit to 2-3 people maximum
- Use PIM for this role itself
- Review activation patterns regularly
- Configure alerting for sensitive role activations
- Require MFA and justification for all roles
- Set reasonable activation durations
- Configure multiple approvers for critical roles
- Document PIM policies and procedures
- Review and archive historical activations
- Test emergency access procedures regularly
Security considerations
- Can grant persistent admin access if misconfigured
- Can disable approval requirements
- Can modify activation settings for all roles
- Very high privilege role - protect carefully
- Monitor for PIM setting changes
- Alert on eligible assignment changes
- Audit all PIM configuration modifications
- Consider requiring two-person approval
Common questions
When should I assign the PIM Administration role?
Assign PIM Administration when you need to: Just-in-time access implementation; Role activation workflow management; Privileged access governance; Approval process configuration; and PIM policy standardization. It is part of Microsoft Entra ID and should be granted as a least-privilege alternative to broader roles like Global Administrator.
What can someone with the PIM Administration role do?
The PIM Administration role grants permissions including: PIM - Full PIM management; PIM Settings - Configure PIM settings for all Entra roles; Approvals - Approve or deny role activation requests; Workflows - Configure approval workflows and approvers; Activation - Set activation requirements (MFA, justification, ticket); and Duration - Configure activation duration limits. See the Permissions section above for the full list.
What are the security risks of the PIM Administration role?
Key considerations when assigning PIM Administration: Can grant persistent admin access if misconfigured; Can disable approval requirements; Can modify activation settings for all roles; and Very high privilege role - protect carefully. Review the Security considerations section before assignment, and pair with Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time access where possible.