A Comparative Look at Entitlements in Microsoft Entra vs. SailPoint IdentityNow

Following up on my previous blog about the data model in Microsoft Entra and SailPoint IdentityNow, I've been prompted to address a topic that is both vital and complex: Entitlements. Entitlements are fundamental in empowering accounts to perform specific actions within a system and play a pivotal role in implementing the zero-trust principle of least privilege. In this post, I will unpack the entitlements through examples from both Microsoft Entra and SailPoint IdentityNow to illustrate their significance.

Microsoft Entra's Approach to Entitlements

According to Microsoft documentation, entitlements in Microsoft Entra are the specific resources that you can manage access to. These resources are predominantly Microsoft-centric, with security groups playing a pivotal role in facilitating access to other systems. Here’s a breakdown of the key types of entitlements supported in Microsoft Entra:

• Membership of Microsoft Entra security groups.
• Membership of Microsoft 365 Groups and Teams.
• Assignment to Microsoft Entra enterprise applications, including SaaS applications and custom-integrated applications that support federation/single sign-on and/or provisioning.
• Membership of SharePoint Online sites.

Beyond Group-Based Access Control

It's important to note that not every access control method revolves around groups, nor is every permission managed through group memberships linked to applications. Taking Salesforce as an example, entitlements can be much more diverse, encompassing roles, Profile IDs, and managed packages. This highlights a more granular approach to permission management where entitlements can be tailored to fit the intricate needs of different roles within an organization.

SailPoint IdentityNow Entitlements

In contrast, SailPoint IdentityNow conceptualizes entitlements as the access rights an account possesses on a given source. These entitlements are adaptable based on the applications involved and can be extensively customized to meet specific organizational requirements. This flexibility and deep integration is crucial for organizations that need to manage complex entitlement structures and conduct thorough user access reviews.

Practical Use Cases

Now, let's examine some practical use cases to demonstrate how you can effectively leverage both tools to meet your needs:

1. Collaborative Project Setup: Imagine launching a collaboration project that involves external partners requiring access to a variety of resources, such as a Teams channel, a SharePoint site, and a Confluence page set up as a single sign-on app within your tenant. By grouping these entitlements into an access package in Microsoft Entra, you can seamlessly extend invitations to your partners to join as guest users. This method not only simplifies the management of access but also ensures robust security and control over your resources.
2. Specialized Permission Assignments: When you need to assign permissions to containers or safes in CyberArk or manage access in a proprietary application with a unique access model, SailPoint IdentityNow is the tool of choice. Its capability to integrate with a wide array of applications allows for precise control over permissions, ensuring that each account is equipped with appropriate access levels. This is particularly beneficial for maintaining high security and compliance standards.

Hopefully, the insights provided will help you navigate the selection of governance tools that best suit your platform's needs. Stay tuned for upcoming articles that delve deeper into identity governance and illustrate how these tools can facilitate your transition to a zero-trust architecture.