Microsoft Entra ID · Privileged Identity Management

PIM Approver

Designated as approver for PIM role activation requests. Can approve or deny activation requests but cannot modify PIM settings.

Scope: Role activation approval authority for designated roles

Permissions

  • Approvals - Approve or deny role activation requests
  • Requests - View pending activation requests
  • Justification - Provide approval justification
  • Request Details - View activation request details and context
  • Notifications - Receive notification of pending approvals
  • Limitation - Cannot modify PIM settings or configurations
  • Limitation - Cannot grant or revoke role eligibility

Common use cases

  • Manager approval for subordinate access elevation
  • Security team approval for sensitive roles
  • Compliance-required approval workflows
  • Separation of duties enforcement
  • Change management approval integration
  • Emergency access approval authority

Best practices

  • Assign multiple approvers for redundancy
  • Set reasonable approval SLAs
  • Configure backup approvers for availability
  • Review approval history periodically
  • Document approval decision criteria
  • Ensure approvers understand role scope
  • Coordinate with role owners on approval policies
  • Set up mobile notifications for urgent approvals

Security considerations

  • Approvers control access to privileged roles
  • Ensure approvers are appropriate for role scope
  • Monitor for rubber-stamp approval patterns
  • Review approver assignments regularly
  • Consider multiple approvers for critical roles
  • Alert on approval without justification review

Official Microsoft Learn documentation →

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