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The debate around implementing a breakglass application in M365/Entra tenants highlights the need for a structured approach to emergency access management. Below is a maturity model to guide organizations in securing breakglass mechanisms while minimizing risks.
Breakglass Maturity Model Stages
1. Basic Breakglass Setup
- Create a dedicated emergency account excluded from Conditional Access and MFA.
- Store credentials securely (e.g., Azure Key Vault, physical safe).
2. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) Integration
- Enforce Just-In-Time (JIT) access with approval workflows.
- Require breakglass access justification and time-bound activation.
3. Monitoring & Alerting
- Configure Azure Sentinel/SIEM alerts for breakglass account usage.
- Log all activities via Azure Audit Logs and forward to a secure repository.
4. Automated Response & Threat Hunting
- Deploy Azure Logic Apps or Playbooks to trigger incident response.
- Use KQL queries to detect anomalous behavior post-activation.
5. Adversary Emulation & Purple Teaming
- Simulate breakglass scenarios to validate detection and response.
- Conduct periodic access reviews and tabletop exercises.
You Should Know: Practical Implementation Steps
1. Creating a Breakglass Account (PowerShell)
New-MsolUser -UserPrincipalName "[email protected]" -DisplayName "Breakglass Admin" Add-MsolRoleMember -RoleName "Global Administrator" -RoleMemberEmailAddress "[email protected]"
2. Excluding Breakglass from Conditional Access (Azure CLI)
az rest --method PATCH --uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/policies/conditionalAccessPolicies/{policyId}" --body '{"excludeUsers": ["[email protected]"]}'
3. Sentinel Alert Rule (KQL Query)
AuditLogs | where OperationName == "Add member to role" and TargetResources has "Global Administrator" | where InitiatedBy.user.userPrincipalName == "[email protected]"
4. Automating Incident Response (Azure Logic Apps)
- Trigger an email to CISO on breakglass activation.
- Lock down non-critical admin roles during emergency access.
5. Testing with Red Team Tools
Simulate breakglass access (Atomic Red Team) Invoke-AtomicTest T1078 -TestNames "Valid Accounts" -InputArgs "[email protected]"
What Undercode Say
A breakglass strategy is critical but must balance accessibility and security. Key takeaways:
– Least Privilege: Restrict breakglass to only necessary roles.
– Immutable Logging: Ensure logs cannot be deleted by breakglass users.
– Linux/Win Commands for Auditing:
Linux: Check SSH breakglass access
grep "breakglass-user" /var/log/auth.log
Windows: Audit breakglass logons
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4624} | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "breakglass"}
– Regular Drills: Test breakglass procedures quarterly.
Expected Output: A resilient breakglass framework with layered security controls, automated monitoring, and adversarial testing.
Reference: Kennedy T.’s Sentinel Adversary Emulation Post
References:
Reported By: Graham Gold – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
