Create and assign custom roles, including Azure roles and Azure AD roles

Creating and assigning custom roles in Microsoft Azure allows organizations to ensure that users have the specific permissions they need to do their job, without having too much access, which could potentially lead to security issues. Within the Azure environment, custom roles can be created for both Azure roles, which are used to manage Azure resources, and Azure AD roles, which are used for managing Azure Active Directory resources.

Custom Azure Roles

Custom Azure roles are an extension of the built-in roles provided by Azure, such as Owner, Contributor, and Reader. They allow you to define a set of permissions that precisely match your organization’s needs. To create a custom role, you can start from scratch or clone an existing role and then modify its permissions.

To create a custom Azure role:

1. Search for and select “Subscriptions” in the Azure portal.
2. Choose the subscription where you want to create the role.
3. Click on “Access control (IAM)” and then select “Add a custom role”.
4. Enter a name and description for the new role.
5. Optionally, clone a role to use as a starting point.
6. Add or remove permissions as needed from the list of available permissions.
7. Review and create the role.

For example, you might create a “Storage Account Key Operator” role that only provides the necessary permissions to manage keys for Storage Accounts.

Assigning Custom Azure Roles

After creating a custom role, you can assign it to a user, group, service principal, or managed identity.

1. In the Azure portal, navigate to the resource where you want to assign the role.
2. Click on “Access control (IAM)”.
3. Select “Add role assignment”.
4. Choose the custom role you created from the list.
5. Find the security principal (user/group/service principal) that you wish to assign to the role.
6. Select the appropriate principal and click “Save”.

Custom Azure AD Roles

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) roles are used to manage Azure AD-related services. Custom Azure AD roles can be crafted to suit the unique needs of your organization for managing identities and access to applications.

To create a custom Azure AD role:

1. Navigate to the Azure AD admin center.
2. Select “Roles and administrators” from the left sidebar.
3. Click on “+ New custom role” to start the creation process.
4. Provide a name and description for the role.
5. Customize the permissions by selecting from predefined permissions that determine what role members can manage.
6. Assign the role scope, such as a specific Azure AD directory role, group, or application.
7. Review and create the role.

For instance, you might create a “Groups Administrator” role with permissions tailored to manage Azure AD groups exclusively without granting full directory rights.

Assigning Custom Azure AD Roles

Once the custom Azure AD role is created, you can assign it to the appropriate users.

1. In the Azure AD admin center, go to the “Roles and administrators” section.
2. Find your custom role and click on it.
3. Click on “Add assignments”.
4. Search for the users to whom you want to assign the role.
5. Select the users and confirm the assignment.

Comparison of Azure Roles and Azure AD Roles

In conclusion, custom Azure and Azure AD roles are powerful tools for fine-tuning access controls and ensuring compliance with the principle of least privilege. By manipulating these roles and their assignments, you can secure your Azure-based resources and the identities tied to them effectively, play a critical role in maintaining operational security and efficiency within the AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies exam scope.