Rolling Out Intune Security and Identity Policies
In this article I want to help IT Administrators address not just the technical aspects but also the full project lifecycle—planning, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement—while effectively managing stakeholders and resources.
How do you handle change management with your team during an Intune rollout?
Holistic Project Management Considerations for Rolling Out Intune Security and Identity Policies
1. Initiation Phase: Define Project Objectives and Stakeholder Engagement
- Clearly articulate the overall objective of the Intune rollout, such as improving device security, managing identity effectively, and enhancing compliance.
- Identify and engage all key stakeholders: IT administrators, department chiefs, end-users (firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers), compliance officers, and leadership.
- Develop a Project Charter to outline project goals, scope, and high-level requirements.
- Hold an initial kick-off meeting with stakeholders to understand their concerns, expectations, and possible challenges during implementation.
2. Planning Phase: Comprehensive Project and Change Management Planning
- Develop a detailed Project Management Plan, including the scope, schedule, resource plan, risk management plan, and quality plan.
- Requirements Gathering: Identify what each department (e.g., firefighters, paramedics) needs in terms of devices and software, keeping in mind different roles and operational needs.
- Define Success Metrics: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) such as compliance rates, user adoption, reduction in security incidents, and response time for incidents.
- Communication Plan: Create a plan to keep all stakeholders informed of progress, issues, and upcoming changes. Consider town hall meetings, status reports, and targeted communications to each group.
- Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks, such as resistance from users, technical integration challenges, and training gaps. Develop a mitigation plan for each risk, including fallback measures.
- Change Management Strategy: Develop a structured approach for supporting staff during the transition. Consider change impact assessments, a training program, and internal advocates to facilitate the transition.
3. Execution Phase: Implementation and Deployment
- Begin with a Pilot Program: Select a small group of devices/users for an initial Intune rollout to test your approach and gather feedback.
- Training and Support: Provide hands-on training to staff, demonstrating how the new security policies, password policies, and device management features will affect them. Develop FAQs, guides, and offer drop-in Q&A sessions.
- Technical Implementation: Roll out the device settings, group settings, and security configurations in stages to minimize disruptions. Ensure coordination with each department to accommodate shift schedules and operational needs.
- Monitor User Adoption: Actively monitor user interactions during deployment. Gather feedback and address concerns in real-time to ensure smooth adoption. Track user compliance with new security policies and adjust tactics based on feedback.
4. Monitoring and Controlling Phase: Tracking, Reporting, and Adjusting
- Performance Monitoring: Use Intune's reporting tools to monitor device compliance, patching success rates, security incidents, and policy enforcement.
- Stakeholder Communication: Provide regular status updates to department leadership and other stakeholders. Highlight successes, identify challenges, and explain adjustments to the implementation.
- Risk Management: Monitor for emerging risks such as compliance challenges or low user adoption. Update the risk log and adjust mitigation strategies as required.
- Issue Management: Set up an issue tracking system to capture and manage technical issues and end-user complaints. Assign ownership and track resolution status.
5. Closing Phase: Post-Implementation Review and Continuous Improvement
- Lessons Learned: Conduct a post-implementation review with stakeholders to gather insights on what worked well and what needs improvement for future rollouts or updates.
- Stakeholder Feedback: Gather detailed feedback from various departments regarding their experience with the rollout. Identify any gaps and document recommendations for improvement.
- Celebrate Success: Recognize the efforts of the IT team and user champions who helped make the rollout successful. This will improve morale and buy-in for future projects.
- Continuous Improvement: Create a plan for ongoing evaluation and enhancement of Intune policies. Schedule regular reviews of security policies, compliance checks, and Intune settings to adapt to evolving requirements or new threats.
What challenges have you faced when implementing Intune in your organization?
Best Practices for Holistic Implementation
- Engage End Users Early and Often: By involving users from the beginning, you can identify potential resistance and gain valuable insights into their requirements.
- Training and Empowerment: Equip users not just with instructions, but with an understanding of why these security measures are essential. Show them the tangible benefits of secure devices and identity protection.
- Iterate and Improve: Treat this rollout as a cycle. Policies and security settings should be regularly reviewed and adjusted based on new risks, incidents, or technological advancements.
- Transparency: Ensure transparency throughout the project. Be clear about what changes are being made and how they will impact day-to-day operations, particularly when it comes to the security features (e.g., remote wiping or encryption).
Recommended Intune Settings for a Cloud-First Approach
To further protect the organization, here are specific Intune settings that a Public Safety IT Administrator should consider implementing:
1. Device Settings
- Enforce Device Encryption: Require full disk encryption on all devices. Use BitLocker for Windows (e.g., XTS-AES 256-bit) and ensure built-in encryption is activated on iOS and Android devices.
- Password Policies: Set strong password policies including minimum length (at least 12 characters), complexity requirements (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, special characters), and a maximum password age (60-90 days). Implement account lockout after a set number of failed attempts.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Use Azure AD and Intune to enforce MFA for all users, ensuring additional layers of protection.
- Automatic Screen Lock: Configure devices to automatically lock after 2-5 minutes of inactivity to prevent unauthorized access.
- USB and External Storage Restrictions: Disable or restrict USB and external storage access to prevent data exfiltration, with a whitelist of approved devices if needed.
- Remote Wipe Capability: Enable remote wipe for lost or compromised devices and ensure that processes for initiating remote wipes are well documented.
2. Group Settings
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Define roles in Azure AD and Intune based on job functions, with minimum necessary permissions assigned to each role. Regularly review and audit role assignments.
- Role-Specific Azure AD Groups: Create groups for firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, administrative staff, and leadership to apply policies and access controls in Intune.
- Least Privilege Principle: Ensure that all users and groups are assigned only the permissions they need for their roles. Regularly review and adjust these permissions.
3. Additional Security Settings
- Mobile Device Management (MDM): Utilize Intune MDM to automatically enroll devices, enforce security policies, and monitor compliance.
- Conditional Access Policies: Implement conditional access to restrict access based on location, device health, and user risk levels.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Configure DLP policies to monitor and prevent unauthorized sharing of sensitive information.
- Real-Time Threat Detection: Integrate Intune with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to configure alerts, detect threats, and respond automatically.
- Regular Patch Management: Use Intune to deploy OS and app updates automatically, ensuring systems are up to date and compliant.
4. Network and Application Security
- VPN and Secure Remote Access: Configure managed VPN connections to ensure secure remote access for field personnel.
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- Application Whitelisting: Enforce application whitelisting through Intune, allowing only approved applications to run.
- Logging and Auditing: Use Intune and Azure AD to enable comprehensive logging of device activities and audit for compliance.
- Secure Communication: Enforce the use of encrypted tools for sensitive communication between field personnel and command centers.
By combining a detailed rollout plan for device and identity security settings in Microsoft Intune with comprehensive project management principles, IT Administrators can ensure that all aspects of the deployment are considered—including stakeholder engagement, risk management, and continuous improvement. This approach will not only help secure Fire Department IT infrastructure but will also support user adoption and provide a framework for future initiatives.
Example: USB Device Management Best Practices with Intune
1. Device Inventory and Ownership
2. Encryption
3. Access Control
4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
5. Monitoring and Auditing
6. Remote Management
7. User Education and Policies
8. Physical Security
9. Regular Reviews and Updates
10. Incident Response
By implementing these best practices through Intune, you can significantly enhance the security of your organization's USB devices and the data they contain.
Example: Best Practices for Secure Wi-Fi Configuration across your department with Intune
1. Create a Wi-Fi Profile in Intune
2. Configure Wi-Fi Settings
3. Certificate Deployment
4. Scope and Assign the Profile
5. Monitor and Troubleshoot
6. Security Considerations
7. User Communication
8. Regular Review and Updates
By following these practices, you can securely deploy your internal Wi-Fi configuration to corporate devices without exposing sensitive credentials to end-users.
Microsoft 365 Licensing Considerations
The minimum license typically recommended for public safety organizations to use Intune is Microsoft 365 F3 (formerly known as Microsoft 365 F1). However, depending on specific needs, you might consider Microsoft 365 E3\G3 or E5\G5. Here's a quick breakdown:
For most public safety organizations, Microsoft 365 F3 would be the minimum to effectively use Intune. However, a mix of licenses (some F3, some E3\G3) might be more appropriate depending on staff roles and needs.
It's important to note that standalone Intune licenses are also available if you don't need the full Microsoft 365 suite. However, for most organizations, the Microsoft 365 bundles offer better value and integration.
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