CIS Microsoft 365

Foundations Benchmark
v3.1.0 - 04-29-2024
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Table of Contents
Terms of Use ................................................................................................................. 1
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... 2
Overview ........................................................................................................................ 7
Intended Audience................................................................................................................. 7
Consensus Guidance ............................................................................................................ 8
Typographical Conventions .................................................................................................. 9
Recommendation Definitions ..................................................................................... 10
Title ........................................................................................................................................10
Assessment Status...............................................................................................................10
Automated ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Manual ................................................................................................................................................... 10
Profile ....................................................................................................................................10
Description ............................................................................................................................10
Rationale Statement .............................................................................................................10
Impact Statement ..................................................................................................................11
Audit Procedure ....................................................................................................................11
Remediation Procedure........................................................................................................11
Default Value .........................................................................................................................11
References ............................................................................................................................11
CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) ..................................................................11
Additional Information..........................................................................................................11
Profile Definitions .................................................................................................................12
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................13
Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 14
1 Microsoft 365 admin center...............................................................................................14
1.1 Users ............................................................................................................................................... 15
1.1.1 (L1) Ensure Administrative accounts are separate and cloud-only (Manual) .................. 16
1.1.2 (L1) Ensure two emergency access accounts have been defined (Manual) ................... 19
1.1.3 (L1) Ensure that between two and four global admins are designated (Automated) ...... 23
1.1.4 (L1) Ensure Guest Users are reviewed at least biweekly (Manual) ................................ 26
1.2 Teams & groups ............................................................................................................................. 28
1.2.1 (L2) Ensure that only organizationally managed/approved public groups exist
(Automated) .............................................................................................................................. 29
1.2.2 (L1) Ensure sign-in to shared mailboxes is blocked (Automated) ................................... 32
1.3 Settings ........................................................................................................................................... 35
1.3.1 (L1) Ensure the 'Password expiration policy' is set to 'Set passwords to never expire
(recommended)' (Automated) ................................................................................................... 36

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 1.3.2 (L1) Ensure 'Idle session timeout' is set to '3 hours (or less)' for unmanaged devices
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................... 39
1.3.3 (L2) Ensure 'External sharing' of calendars is not available (Automated) ....................... 43
1.3.4 (L1) Ensure 'User owned apps and services' is restricted (Manual) ............................... 46
1.3.5 (L1) Ensure internal phishing protection for Forms is enabled (Manual)......................... 48
1.3.6 (L2) Ensure the customer lockbox feature is enabled (Automated) ................................ 50
1.3.7 (L2) Ensure 'third-party storage services' are restricted in 'Microsoft 365 on the web'
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................... 53
1.3.8 (L2) Ensure that Sways cannot be shared with people outside of your organization
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................... 55
2 Microsoft 365 Defender .....................................................................................................57
2.1 Email & collaboration .................................................................................................................... 58
2.1.1 (L2) Ensure Safe Links for Office Applications is Enabled (Automated) ......................... 59
2.1.2 (L1) Ensure the Common Attachment Types Filter is enabled (Automated) ................... 64
2.1.3 (L1) Ensure notifications for internal users sending malware is Enabled (Automated) ... 67
2.1.4 (L2) Ensure Safe Attachments policy is enabled (Automated) ........................................ 70
2.1.5 (L2) Ensure Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams is
Enabled (Automated) ................................................................................................................ 72
2.1.6 (L1) Ensure Exchange Online Spam Policies are set to notify administrators (Automated)
.................................................................................................................................................. 75
2.1.7 (L1) Ensure that an anti-phishing policy has been created (Automated) ........................ 78
2.1.8 (L1) Ensure that SPF records are published for all Exchange Domains (Manual) .......... 81
2.1.9 (L1) Ensure that DKIM is enabled for all Exchange Online Domains (Automated) ......... 83
2.1.10 (L1) Ensure DMARC Records for all Exchange Online domains are published (Manual)
.................................................................................................................................................. 87
2.1.11 (L1) Ensure the spoofed domains report is reviewed weekly (Manual)......................... 91
2.1.12 (L1) Ensure the 'Restricted entities' report is reviewed weekly (Manual) ...................... 93
2.1.13 (L1) Ensure malware trends are reviewed at least weekly (Manual) ............................. 95
2.1.14 (L2) Ensure comprehensive attachment filtering is applied (Automated) ...................... 97
2.2 Cloud apps ................................................................................................................................... 103
2.3 Audit .............................................................................................................................................. 104
2.3.1 (L1) Ensure the Account Provisioning Activity report is reviewed at least weekly (Manual)
................................................................................................................................................ 105
2.3.2 (L1) Ensure non-global administrator role group assignments are reviewed at least
weekly (Manual) ...................................................................................................................... 107
2.4 Settings ......................................................................................................................................... 108
2.4.1 (L1) Ensure Priority account protection is enabled and configured (Manual) ............... 109
2.4.2 (L1) Ensure Priority accounts have 'Strict protection' presets applied (Manual) ........... 113
2.4.3 (L2) Ensure Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is enabled and configured (Manual) .. 116
2.4.4 (L1) Ensure Zero-hour auto purge for Microsoft Teams is on (Automated) .................. 119
3 Microsoft Purview ............................................................................................................121
3.1 Audit .............................................................................................................................................. 122
3.1.1 (L1) Ensure Microsoft 365 audit log search is Enabled (Automated) ............................ 123
3.1.2 (L1) Ensure user role group changes are reviewed at least weekly (Manual) .............. 125
3.2 Data loss protection .................................................................................................................... 127
3.2.1 (L1) Ensure DLP policies are enabled (Manual) ............................................................ 128
3.2.2 (L1) Ensure DLP policies are enabled for Microsoft Teams (Manual)........................... 130
3.3 Information Protection ................................................................................................................ 134
3.3.1 (L1) Ensure SharePoint Online Information Protection policies are set up and used
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................. 135
4 Microsoft Intune admin center ........................................................................................137
5 Microsoft Entra admin center .........................................................................................138
5.1 Identity .......................................................................................................................................... 138

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 5.1.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................. 138
5.1.1.1 (L1) Ensure Security Defaults is disabled on Azure Active Directory (Manual) ......... 139
5.1.2 Users ....................................................................................................................................... 142
5.1.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'Per-user MFA' is disabled (Manual) ....................................................... 143
5.1.2.2 (L2) Ensure third party integrated applications are not allowed (Automated) ............ 145
5.1.2.3 (L1) Ensure 'Restrict non-admin users from creating tenants' is set to 'Yes'
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 147
5.1.2.4 (L1) Ensure 'Restrict access to the Azure AD administration portal' is set to 'Yes'
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................. 149
5.1.2.5 (L2) Ensure the option to remain signed in is hidden (Manual) .................................. 151
5.1.2.6 (L2) Ensure 'LinkedIn account connections' is disabled (Manual) .............................. 153
5.1.3 Groups ..................................................................................................................................... 155
5.1.3.1 (L1) Ensure a dynamic group for guest users is created (Automated) ....................... 156
5.1.4 Devices .................................................................................................................................... 159
5.1.5 Applications ............................................................................................................................ 160
5.1.5.1 (L1) Ensure the Application Usage report is reviewed at least weekly (Manual) ....... 161
5.1.5.2 (L2) Ensure user consent to apps accessing company data on their behalf is not
allowed (Automated) ............................................................................................................... 162
5.1.5.3 (L1) Ensure the admin consent workflow is enabled (Manual) ................................... 165
5.1.6 External Identities .................................................................................................................. 167
5.1.6.1 (L2) Ensure that collaboration invitations are sent to allowed domains only (Manual)
................................................................................................................................................ 168
5.1.7 User experiences.................................................................................................................... 170
5.1.8 Hybrid management ............................................................................................................... 171
5.1.8.1 (L1) Ensure that password hash sync is enabled for hybrid deployments (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 172
5.2 Protection ..................................................................................................................................... 175
5.2.1 Identity Protection .................................................................................................................. 175
5.2.2 Conditional Access ................................................................................................................ 176
5.2.2.1 (L1) Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all users in administrative roles
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................. 177
5.2.2.2 (L1) Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all users (Manual) ................... 181
5.2.2.3 (L1) Enable Conditional Access policies to block legacy authentication (Manual) ..... 184
5.2.2.4 (L1) Ensure Sign-in frequency is enabled and browser sessions are not persistent for
Administrative users (Manual) ................................................................................................ 189
5.2.2.5 (L2) Ensure 'Phishing-resistant MFA strength' is required for Administrators (Manual)
................................................................................................................................................ 193
5.2.2.6 (L2) Enable Azure AD Identity Protection user risk policies (Manual) ........................ 197
5.2.2.7 (L2) Enable Azure AD Identity Protection sign-in risk policies (Manual) .................... 200
5.2.2.8 (L1) Ensure admin center access is limited to administrative roles (Manual) ............ 202
5.2.3 Authentication Methods ........................................................................................................ 206
5.2.3.1 (L1) Ensure Microsoft Authenticator is configured to protect against MFA fatigue
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................. 207
5.2.3.2 (L1) Ensure custom banned passwords lists are used (Manual) ............................... 210
5.2.3.3 (L1) Ensure password protection is enabled for on-prem Active Directory (Manual) . 213
5.2.3.4 (L1) Ensure all member users are 'MFA capable' (Manual) ....................................... 215
5.2.4 Password reset ....................................................................................................................... 219
5.2.4.1 (L1) Ensure 'Self service password reset enabled' is set to 'All' (Manual) ................. 220
5.2.4.2 (L1) Ensure the self-service password reset activity report is reviewed at least weekly
(Manual) .................................................................................................................................. 222
5.2.5 Custom security attributes .................................................................................................... 224
5.2.6 Risky activities ....................................................................................................................... 225
5.2.6.1 (L1) Ensure the Azure AD 'Risky sign-ins' report is reviewed at least weekly (Manual)
................................................................................................................................................ 226
5.3 Identity Governance .................................................................................................................... 228
5.3.1 (L2) Ensure 'Privileged Identity Management' is used to manage roles (Manual) ........ 229

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 5.3.2 (L1) Ensure 'Access reviews' for Guest Users are configured (Manual) ....................... 233
5.3.3 (L1) Ensure 'Access reviews' for high privileged Azure AD roles are configured (Manual)
................................................................................................................................................ 236
6 Exchange admin center...................................................................................................240
6.1 Audit .............................................................................................................................................. 241
6.1.1 (L1) Ensure 'AuditDisabled' organizationally is set to 'False' (Automated) .................... 242
6.1.2 (L1) Ensure mailbox auditing for E3 users is Enabled (Automated) .............................. 244
6.1.3 (L1) Ensure mailbox auditing for E5 users is Enabled (Automated) .............................. 250
6.1.4 (L1) Ensure 'AuditBypassEnabled' is not enabled on mailboxes (Manual) ................... 256
6.2 Mail flow ........................................................................................................................................ 258
6.2.1 (L1) Ensure all forms of mail forwarding are blocked and/or disabled (Automated) ..... 259
6.2.2 (L1) Ensure mail transport rules do not whitelist specific domains (Automated) ........... 264
6.2.3 (L1) Ensure email from external senders is identified (Automated) .............................. 266
6.3 Roles ............................................................................................................................................. 268
6.3.1 (L2) Ensure users installing Outlook add-ins is not allowed (Automated) ..................... 269
6.4 Reports ......................................................................................................................................... 273
6.4.1 (L1) Ensure mail forwarding rules are reviewed at least weekly (Manual) .................... 274
6.5 Settings ......................................................................................................................................... 277
6.5.1 (L1) Ensure modern authentication for Exchange Online is enabled (Automated) ....... 278
6.5.2 (L1) Ensure MailTips are enabled for end users (Automated) ...................................... 280
6.5.3 (L2) Ensure additional storage providers are restricted in Outlook on the web
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 282
7 SharePoint admin center .................................................................................................284
7.1 Sites............................................................................................................................................... 285
7.2 Policies ......................................................................................................................................... 286
7.2.1 (L1) Ensure modern authentication for SharePoint applications is required (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 287
7.2.2 (L1) Ensure SharePoint and OneDrive integration with Azure AD B2B is enabled
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 290
7.2.3 (L1) Ensure external content sharing is restricted (Automated) .................................... 292
7.2.4 (L2) Ensure OneDrive content sharing is restricted (Automated) .................................. 295
7.2.5 (L2) Ensure that SharePoint guest users cannot share items they don't own (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 298
7.2.6 (L2) Ensure SharePoint external sharing is managed through domain whitelist/blacklists
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 300
7.2.7 (L1) Ensure link sharing is restricted in SharePoint and OneDrive (Automated) .......... 302
7.2.8 (L2) Ensure external sharing is restricted by security group (Manual) .......................... 304
7.2.9 (L1) Ensure guest access to a site or OneDrive will expire automatically (Automated) 306
7.2.10 (L1) Ensure reauthentication with verification code is restricted (Automated) ............ 309
7.3 Settings ......................................................................................................................................... 312
7.3.1 (L2) Ensure Office 365 SharePoint infected files are disallowed for download
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 313
7.3.2 (L2) Ensure OneDrive sync is restricted for unmanaged devices (Automated) ............ 315
7.3.3 (L1) Ensure custom script execution is restricted on personal sites (Manual) .............. 318
7.3.4 (L1) Ensure custom script execution is restricted on site collections (Automated) ....... 321
8 Microsoft Teams admin center .......................................................................................324
8.1 Teams ............................................................................................................................................ 325
8.1.1 (L2) Ensure external file sharing in Teams is enabled for only approved cloud storage
services (Automated) .............................................................................................................. 326
8.1.2 (L1) Ensure users can't send emails to a channel email address (Automated) ............ 329
8.2 Users ............................................................................................................................................. 331
8.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'external access' is restricted in the Teams admin center (Automated) .... 332
8.3 Teams devices ............................................................................................................................. 337
8.4 Teams apps .................................................................................................................................. 338

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 8.4.1 (L1) Ensure app permission policies are configured (Manual) ...................................... 339
8.5 Meetings ....................................................................................................................................... 341
8.5.1 (L2) Ensure anonymous users can't join a meeting (Automated).................................. 342
8.5.2 (L1) Ensure anonymous users and dial-in callers can't start a meeting (Automated) ... 345
8.5.3 (L1) Ensure only people in my org can bypass the lobby (Automated) ......................... 348
8.5.4 (L1) Ensure users dialing in can't bypass the lobby (Automated) ................................. 350
8.5.5 (L2) Ensure meeting chat does not allow anonymous users (Automated) .................... 352
8.5.6 (L2) Ensure only organizers and co-organizers can present (Automated) .................... 354
8.5.7 (L1) Ensure external participants can't give or request control (Automated) ................ 356
8.5.8 (L2) Ensure external meeting chat is off (Automated) ................................................... 359
8.6 Messaging .................................................................................................................................... 361
8.6.1 (L1) Ensure users can report security concerns in Teams (Automated) ....................... 362
9 Microsoft Fabric ...............................................................................................................367
9.1 Tenant settings ............................................................................................................................ 368
9.1.1 (L1) Ensure guest user access is restricted (Manual) ................................................... 369
9.1.2 (L1) Ensure external user invitations are restricted (Manual) ........................................ 371
9.1.3 (L1) Ensure guest access to content is restricted (Manual) .......................................... 373
9.1.4 (L1) Ensure 'Publish to web' is restricted (Manual) ....................................................... 375
9.1.5 (L2) Ensure 'Interact with and share R and Python' visuals is 'Disabled' (Manual) ....... 377
9.1.6 (L1) Ensure 'Allow users to apply sensitivity labels for content' is 'Enabled' (Manual) .. 379
9.1.7 (L1) Ensure shareable links are restricted (Manual)...................................................... 382
9.1.8 (L1) Ensure enabling of external data sharing is restricted (Manual) ............................ 385
9.1.9 (L1) Ensure 'Block ResourceKey Authentication' is 'Enabled' (Manual) ........................ 387
Appendix: Summary Table ....................................................................................... 389
Appendix: Change History ....................................................................................... 400

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Overview
All CIS Benchmarks focus on technical configuration settings used to maintain and/or
increase the security of the addressed technology, and they should be used in
conjunction with other essential cyber hygiene tasks like:
• Monitoring the base operating system for vulnerabilities and quickly updating with
the latest security patches
• Monitoring applications and libraries for vulnerabilities and quickly updating with
the latest security patches

In the end, the CIS Benchmarks are designed as a key component of a comprehensive
cybersecurity program.
This document, Security Configuration Benchmark for Microsoft 365, provides
prescriptive guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for Microsoft 365
Cloud offerings running on any OS. This guide was tested against Microsoft 365, and
includes recommendations for Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for
Business, Teams, Power BI (Fabric) and Microsoft Entra ID.
To ensure all PowerShell related cmdlets work in your tenant please download the
latest versions of the PowerShell modules. Scripts and commands referenced in this
benchmark were tested using the following modules:

• ExchangeOnlineManagement 3.4.0
• Microsoft.Graph 2.15.0
• MicrosoftTeams 6.0.0
• Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell 16.0.24614.12000

To obtain the latest version of this guide, please visit http://cisecurity.org. If you have
questions, comments, or have identified ways to improve this guide, please write us at
[email protected].

Intended Audience
This benchmark is intended for system and application administrators, security
specialists, auditors, help desk, and platform deployment personnel who plan to
develop, deploy, assess, or secure solutions that incorporate Microsoft 365. Where
possible audit and remediation guidance is provided using both PowerShell and
relevant Admin Centers, using either method is acceptable when attempting to
determine a Pass or Fail for a particular recommendation.

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Consensus Guidance
This CIS Benchmark was created using a consensus review process comprised of a
global community of subject matter experts. The process combines real world
experience with data-based information to create technology specific guidance to assist
users to secure their environments. Consensus participants provide perspective from a
diverse set of backgrounds including consulting, software development, audit and
compliance, security research, operations, government, and legal.
Each CIS Benchmark undergoes two phases of consensus review. The first phase
occurs during initial Benchmark development. During this phase, subject matter experts
convene to discuss, create, and test working drafts of the Benchmark. This discussion
occurs until consensus has been reached on Benchmark recommendations. The
second phase begins after the Benchmark has been published. During this phase, all
feedback provided by the Internet community is reviewed by the consensus team for
incorporation in the Benchmark. If you are interested in participating in the consensus
process, please visit https://workbench.cisecurity.org/.

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Typographical Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used throughout this guide:

Convention Meaning

Used for blocks of code, command, and script

Stylized Monospace font examples. Text should be interpreted exactly as
presented.

Monospace font Used for inline code, commands, or examples.

Text should be interpreted exactly as presented.

Italic texts set in angle brackets denote a variable

<italic font in brackets> requiring substitution for a real value.

Used to denote the title of a book, article, or other

Italic font
publication.

Note Additional information or caveats

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Recommendation Definitions
The following defines the various components included in a CIS recommendation as
applicable. If any of the components are not applicable it will be noted or the
component will not be included in the recommendation.

Title
Concise description for the recommendation's intended configuration.

Assessment Status
An assessment status is included for every recommendation. The assessment status
indicates whether the given recommendation can be automated or requires manual
steps to implement. Both statuses are equally important and are determined and
supported as defined below:

Automated
Represents recommendations for which assessment of a technical control can be fully
automated and validated to a pass/fail state. Recommendations will include the
necessary information to implement automation.

Manual
Represents recommendations for which assessment of a technical control cannot be
fully automated and requires all or some manual steps to validate that the configured
state is set as expected. The expected state can vary depending on the environment.

Profile
A collection of recommendations for securing a technology or a supporting platform.
Most benchmarks include at least a Level 1 and Level 2 Profile. Level 2 extends Level 1
recommendations and is not a standalone profile. The Profile Definitions section in the
benchmark provides the definitions as they pertain to the recommendations included for
the technology.

Description
Detailed information pertaining to the setting with which the recommendation is
concerned. In some cases, the description will include the recommended value.

Rationale Statement
Detailed reasoning for the recommendation to provide the user a clear and concise
understanding on the importance of the recommendation.

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Impact Statement
Any security, functionality, or operational consequences that can result from following
the recommendation.

Audit Procedure
Systematic instructions for determining if the target system complies with the
recommendation.

Remediation Procedure
Systematic instructions for applying recommendations to the target system to bring it
into compliance according to the recommendation.

Default Value
Default value for the given setting in this recommendation, if known. If not known, either
not configured or not defined will be applied.

References
Additional documentation relative to the recommendation.

CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®)

The mapping between a recommendation and the CIS Controls is organized by CIS
Controls version, Safeguard, and Implementation Group (IG). The Benchmark in its
entirety addresses the CIS Controls safeguards of (v7) “5.1 - Establish Secure
Configurations” and (v8) '4.1 - Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process”
so individual recommendations will not be mapped to these safeguards.

Additional Information
Supplementary information that does not correspond to any other field but may be
useful to the user.

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Profile Definitions
The following configuration profiles are defined by this Benchmark:

• E3 Level 1

Items in this profile apply to customer deployments of Microsoft M365 with an E3

license and intend to:

o be practical and prudent;

o provide a clear security benefit; and
o not inhibit the utility of the technology beyond acceptable means.

• E3 Level 2

This profile extends the "E3 Level 1" profile. Items in this profile exhibit one or
more of the following characteristics and is focused on customer deployments of
Microsoft M365 E3:

o are intended for environments or use cases where security is paramount

o acts as defense in depth measure
o may negatively inhibit the utility or performance of the technology.

• E5 Level 1

Items in this profile extend what is provided by the "E3 Level 1" profile for
customer deployments of Microsoft M365 with an E5 license and intend to:

o be practical and prudent;

o provide a clear security benefit; and
o not inhibit the utility of the technology beyond acceptable means.

• E5 Level 2

This profile extends the "E3 Level 1" and "E5 Level 1" profiles. Items in this
profile exhibit one or more of the following characteristics and is focused on
customer deployments of Microsoft M365 E5:

o are intended for environments or use cases where security is paramount

o acts as defense in depth measure
o may negatively inhibit the utility or performance of the technology.

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Acknowledgements
This Benchmark exemplifies the great things a community of users, vendors, and
subject matter experts can accomplish through consensus collaboration. The CIS
community thanks the entire consensus team with special recognition to the following
individuals who contributed greatly to the creation of this guide:

Contributor
Dan Menicucci
Brian Greidanus
Daniel Stutz
Richard Handley
Lewis Hardy
Jennifer Jarose
Mike Owens
Mack Bodie
Jason Inks
Juan Nieto
Phil White
Samuel Emangard
David Bjurman-Birr
Bastien Perez
Connor Peoples
Kyle Cira
Rex Farabee
Uzoma Ifeakanwa
Kelsey Hilton

Editor
Cody McLees
Caleb Eifert
Brandon Cox

Page 13
Recommendations
1 Microsoft 365 admin center
The Microsoft 365 admin center is the primary landing page for everything 365 related
and contains navigational links to all the other admin centers.
https://admin.microsoft.com/

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1.1 Users

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1.1.1 (L1) Ensure Administrative accounts are separate and
cloud-only (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Administrative accounts are special privileged accounts that could have varying levels
of access to data, users, and settings. Regular user accounts should never be utilized
for administrative tasks and care should be taken, in the case of a hybrid environment,
to keep Administrative accounts separated from on-prem accounts. Administrative
accounts should not have applications assigned so that they have no access to
potentially vulnerable services (EX. email, Teams, SharePoint, etc.) and only access to
perform tasks as needed for administrative purposes.
Ensure administrative accounts are licensed without attached applications and
cloud-only.

Rationale:
Ensuring administrative accounts are cloud-only, without applications assigned to them
will reduce the attack surface of high privileged identities in your environment. In order
to participate in Microsoft 365 security services such as Identity Protection, PIM and
Conditional Access an administrative account will need a license attached to it. Ensure
that the license used does not include any applications with potentially vulnerable
services by using either Microsoft Entra ID P1 or Microsoft Entra ID P2 for the cloud-
only account with administrator roles.
In a hybrid environment, having separate accounts will help ensure that in the event of a
breach in the cloud, that the breach does not affect the on-prem environment and vice
versa.
Impact:
Administrative users will have to switch accounts and utilizing login/logout functionality
when performing administrative tasks, as well as not benefiting from SSO.
Note: Alerts will be sent to the TenantAdmins, including Global Administrators, by
default. To ensure proper receipt, configure alerts to be sent to security or operations
staff with valid email addresses or a security operations center. Otherwise, after
adoption of this recommendation, alerts sent to TenantAdmins may go unreceived due
to the lack of an application-based license assigned to the Global Administrator
accounts.

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Audit:
Ensure Administrative accounts are separate and cloud-only:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Users select Active users.
3. Sort by the Licenses column.
4. For each user account in an administrative role verify the following:
o The account is Cloud only (not synced)
o The account is assigned a license that is not associated with applications
i.e. (Microsoft Entra ID P1, Microsoft Entra ID P2)

Remediation:
To created licensed, separate Administrative accounts for Administrative users:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Users select Active users
3. Click Add a user.
4. Fill out the appropriate fields for Name, user, etc.
5. When prompted to assign licenses select as needed Microsoft Entra ID P1 or
Microsoft Entra ID P2, then click Next.
6. Under the Option settings screen you may choose from several types of
Administrative access roles. Choose Admin center access followed by the
appropriate role then click Next.
7. Select Finish adding.

Default Value:
N/A
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/add-
users?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/protect-your-global-
administrator-accounts?view=o365-worldwide
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/best-practices#9-
use-cloud-native-accounts-for-azure-ad-roles
4. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/whatis

Page 17
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.1 Maintain Inventory of Administrative Accounts

v7 Use automated tools to inventory all administrative accounts, including domain
and local accounts, to ensure that only authorized individuals have elevated
● ●
privileges.

Page 18
1.1.2 (L1) Ensure two emergency access accounts have been
defined (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Emergency access or "break glass" accounts are limited for emergency scenarios
where normal administrative accounts are unavailable. They are not assigned to a
specific user and will have a combination of physical and technical controls to prevent
them from being accessed outside a true emergency. These emergencies could be due
to several things, including:

• Technical failures of a cellular provider or Microsoft related service such as MFA.

• The last remaining Global Administrator account is inaccessible.

Ensure two Emergency Access accounts have been defined.

Note: Microsoft provides several recommendations for these accounts and how to
configure them. For more information on this, please refer to the references section.
The CIS Benchmark outlines the more critical things to consider.
Rationale:
In various situations, an organization may require the use of a break glass account to
gain emergency access. In the event of losing access to administrative functions, an
organization may experience a significant loss in its ability to provide support, lose
insight into its security posture, and potentially suffer financial losses.
Impact:
If care is not taken in properly implementing an emergency access account this could
weaken security posture. Microsoft recommends to exclude at least one of these
accounts from all conditional access rules therefore passwords must have sufficient
entropy and length to protect against random guesses. FIDO2 security keys may be
used instead of a password for secure passwordless solution.

Page 19
Audit:
Step 1 - Ensure a policy and procedure is in place at the organization:

• In order for accounts to be effectively used in a break-glass situation the proper

policies and procedures must be authorized and distributed by senior
management.
• FIDO2 Security Keys, if used, should be locked in a secure separate fireproof
location.
• Passwords should be at least 16 characters, randomly generated and MAY be
separated in multiple pieces to be joined on emergency.

Step 2 - Ensure two emergency access accounts are defined:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Expand Users > Active Users
3. Inspect the designated emergency access accounts and ensure the following:

• The accounts are named correctly, and do NOT identify with a particular
person.
• The accounts use the default .onmicrosoft.com domain and not the
organization's.
• The accounts are cloud-only.
• The accounts are unlicensed.
• The accounts are assigned the Global Administrator directory role.

Step 3 - Ensure at least one account is excluded from all conditional access
rules:

1. Navigate Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Expand Protection > Conditional Access.
3. Inspect the conditional access rules.
4. Ensure one of the emergency access accounts is excluded from all rules.

Page 20
Remediation:
Step 1 - Create two emergency access accounts:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Expand Users > Active Users
3. Click Add user and create a new user with this criteria:

• Name the account in a way that does NOT identify it with a particular person.
• Assign the account to the default .onmicrosoft.com domain and not the
organization's.
• The password must be at least 16 characters and generated randomly.
• Do not assign a license.
• Assign the user the Global Administrator role.

4. Repeat the above steps for the second account.

Step 2 - Exclude at least one account from conditional access policies:

1. Navigate Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Expand Protection > Conditional Access.
3. Inspect the conditional access policies.
4. For each rule add an exclusion for at least one of the emergency access
accounts.
5. Users > Exclude > Users and groups and select one emergency access account.

Step 3 - Ensure the necessary procedures and policies are in place:

• In order for accounts to be effectively used in a break glass situation the proper
policies and procedures must be authorized and distributed by senior
management.
• FIDO2 Security Keys, if used, should be locked in a secure separate fireproof
location.
• Passwords should be at least 16 characters, randomly generated and MAY be
separated in multiple pieces to be joined on emergency.

Note: Additional suggestions for emergency account management:

• Create access reviews for these users.

• Exclude users from conditional access rules.

Warning: If CA (conditional access) exclusion is managed by a group, this group should

be added to PIM for groups (licensing required) or be created as a role-assignable
group. If it is a regular security group, then users with the Group Administrators role are
able to bypass CA entirely.

Page 21
Default Value:
Not defined.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/security-
planning#stage-1-critical-items-to-do-right-now
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/security-
emergency-access

Additional Information:
Microsoft has additional instructions regarding using Azure Monitor to capture events in
the Log Analytics workspace, and then generate alerts for Emergency Access accounts.
This requires an Azure subscription but should be strongly considered as a method of
monitoring activity on these accounts:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/security-emergency-
access#monitor-sign-in-and-audit-logs
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.1 Establish and Maintain an Inventory of Accounts

Establish and maintain an inventory of all accounts managed in the enterprise.
v8 The inventory must include both user and administrator accounts. The inventory, at
a minimum, should contain the person’s name, username, start/stop dates, and
● ● ●
department. Validate that all active accounts are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum quarterly, or more frequently.

Page 22
1.1.3 (L1) Ensure that between two and four global admins are
designated (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
More than one global administrator should be designated so a single admin can be
monitored and to provide redundancy should a single admin leave an organization.
Additionally, there should be no more than four global admins set for any tenant. Ideally
global administrators will have no licenses assigned to them.
Rationale:
If there is only one global tenant administrator, he or she can perform malicious activity
without the possibility of being discovered by another admin. If there are numerous
global tenant administrators, the more likely it is that one of their accounts will be
successfully breached by an external attacker.
Impact:
The potential impact associated with ensuring compliance with this requirement is
dependent upon the current number of global administrators configured in the tenant. If
there is only one global administrator in a tenant, an additional global administrator will
need to be identified and configured. If there are more than four global administrators, a
review of role requirements for current global administrators will be required to identify
which of the users require global administrator access.

Page 23
Audit:
Ensure that between two and four global admins are designated:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Select Users > Active Users.
3. Select Filter then select Global Admins.
4. Review the list of Global Admins to confirm there are from two to four such
accounts.

To verify the number of global tenant administrators using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

Directory.Read.All
2. Run the following PowerShell script:

# Determine Id of role using the immutable RoleTemplateId value.

$globalAdminRole = Get-MgDirectoryRole -Filter "RoleTemplateId eq '62e90394-
69f5-4237-9190-012177145e10'"
$globalAdmins = Get-MgDirectoryRoleMember -DirectoryRoleId
$globalAdminRole.Id

Write-Host "*** There are" $globalAdmins.AdditionalProperties.Count "Global

Administrators assigned."
This information is also available via the Microsoft Graph Security API:
GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/security/secureScores
Note: When tallying the number of Global Administrators the above does not account
for Partner relationships. Those are located under Settings > Partner Relationships
and should be reviewed on a reoccurring basis.

Page 24
Remediation:
To correct the number of global tenant administrators:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Select Users > Active Users.
3. In the Search field enter the name of the user to be made a Global Administrator.
4. To create a new Global Admin:
1. Select the user's name.
2. A window will appear to the right.
3. Select Manage roles.
4. Select Admin center access.
5. Check Global Administrator.
6. Click Save changes.
5. To remove Global Admins:
1. Select User.
2. Under Roles select Manage roles
3. De-Select the appropriate role.
4. Click Save changes.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-
us/powershell/module/microsoft.graph.identity.directorymanagement/get-
mgdirectoryrole?view=graph-powershell-1.0
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/permissions-
reference#role-template-ids

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.1 Establish and Maintain an Inventory of Accounts

Establish and maintain an inventory of all accounts managed in the enterprise.
v8 The inventory must include both user and administrator accounts. The inventory, at
a minimum, should contain the person’s name, username, start/stop dates, and
● ● ●
department. Validate that all active accounts are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum quarterly, or more frequently.

4.1 Maintain Inventory of Administrative Accounts

v7 Use automated tools to inventory all administrative accounts, including domain
and local accounts, to ensure that only authorized individuals have elevated
● ●
privileges.

Page 25
1.1.4 (L1) Ensure Guest Users are reviewed at least biweekly
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Guest users can be set up for those users not in the organization to still be granted
access to resources. It is important to maintain visibility for what guest users are
established in the tenant.
Ensure Guest Users are reviewed no less frequently than biweekly.
Note: With the E5 license an access review can be configured to review guest accounts
automatically on a reoccurring basis. This is the preferred method if the licensing is
available.
Rationale:
Periodic review of guest users ensures proper access to resources.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least biweekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review guest users in the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Users and select Guest Users.
3. Review the list of users.

To verify Microsoft 365 audit log search is enabled using Microsoft Graph
PowerShell:

1. Connect using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.Read.All"

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-MgUser -All -Property UserType,UserPrincipalName |

Where {$_.UserType -ne "Member"} |
Format-Table UserPrincipalName, UserType

3. Review the list of users. If nothing is returned then there are no guest users.

Page 26
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.1 Establish and Maintain an Inventory of Accounts

Establish and maintain an inventory of all accounts managed in the enterprise.
v8 The inventory must include both user and administrator accounts. The inventory, at
a minimum, should contain the person’s name, username, start/stop dates, and
● ● ●
department. Validate that all active accounts are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum quarterly, or more frequently.

5.3 Disable Dormant Accounts

v8 Delete or disable any dormant accounts after a period of 45 days of inactivity, ● ● ●
where supported.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

v7 16.6 Maintain an Inventory of Accounts ● ●

Maintain an inventory of all accounts organized by authentication system.

Page 27
1.2 Teams & groups

Page 28
1.2.1 (L2) Ensure that only organizationally managed/approved
public groups exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft 365 Groups is the foundational membership service that drives all teamwork
across Microsoft 365. With Microsoft 365 Groups, you can give a group of people
access to a collection of shared resources. While there are several different group types
this recommendation concerns Microsoft 365 Groups.
In the Administration panel, when a group is created, the default privacy value is
"Public".
Rationale:
Ensure that only organizationally managed and approved public groups exist. When a
group has a "public" privacy, users may access data related to this group (e.g.
SharePoint), through three methods:

• By using the Azure portal, and adding themselves into the public group
• By requesting access to the group from the Group application of the Access
Panel
• By accessing the SharePoint URL

Administrators are notified when a user uses the Azure Portal. Requesting access to the
group forces users to send a message to the group owner, but they still have immediate
access to the group. The SharePoint URL is usually guessable and can be found from
the Group application of the Access Panel. If group privacy is not controlled, any user
may access sensitive information, according to the group they try to access.
Note: Public in this case means public to the identities within the organization.
Impact:
If the recommendation is applied, group owners could receive more access requests
than usual, especially regarding groups originally meant to be public.

Page 29
Audit:
Ensure only organizationally managed/approved public groups exist:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams & groups select Active teams & groups.
3. On the Active teams and groups page, check that no groups have the status
'Public' in the privacy column.

Using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell module:

1. Connect to the Microsoft Graph service using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Group.Read.All".
2. Run the following Microsoft Graph PowerShell command:

Get-MgGroup | where {$_.Visibility -eq "Public"} | select

DisplayName,Visibility

3. Ensure Visibility is Private for each group.

Remediation:
To enable only organizationally managed/approved public groups exist:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams & groups select Active teams & groups..
3. On the Active teams and groups page, select the group's name that is public.
4. On the popup groups name page, Select Settings.
5. Under Privacy, select Private.

Default Value:
Public when created from the Administration portal; private otherwise.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/groups-
self-service-management
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/create-groups/compare-
groups?view=o365-worldwide

Page 30
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

13.1 Maintain an Inventory Sensitive Information

v7 Maintain an inventory of all sensitive information stored, processed, or
transmitted by the organization's technology systems, including those located
● ● ●
onsite or at a remote service provider.

Page 31
1.2.2 (L1) Ensure sign-in to shared mailboxes is blocked
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Shared mailboxes are used when multiple people need access to the same mailbox,
such as a company information or support email address, reception desk, or other
function that might be shared by multiple people.
Users with permissions to the group mailbox can send as or send on behalf of the
mailbox email address if the administrator has given that user permissions to do that.
This is particularly useful for help and support mailboxes because users can send
emails from "Contoso Support" or "Building A Reception Desk."
Shared mailboxes are created with a corresponding user account using a system
generated password that is unknown at the time of creation.
The recommended state is Sign in blocked for Shared mailboxes.

Rationale:
The intent of the shared mailbox is the only allow delegated access from other
mailboxes. An admin could reset the password, or an attacker could potentially gain
access to the shared mailbox allowing the direct sign-in to the shared mailbox and
subsequently the sending of email from a sender that does not have a unique identity.
To prevent this, block sign-in for the account that is associated with the shared mailbox.

Page 32
Audit:
Review Shared mailboxes in the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Teams & groups and select Shared mailboxes.
3. Take note of all shared mailboxes.
4. Click to expand Users and select Active users.
5. Select a shared mailbox account to open its properties pane, and review.
6. Ensure the option reads Unblock sign-in.
7. Repeat for any additional shared mailboxes.

Note: If sign-in is not blocked it will read Block sign-in.

Audit in PowerShell using 2 modules:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline

2. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Policy.Read.All"
3. Run the following PowerShell commands:

$MBX = Get-EXOMailbox -RecipientTypeDetails SharedMailbox

$MBX | ForEach-Object { Get-MgUser -UserId $_.ExternalDirectoryObjectId `
-Property DisplayName, UserPrincipalName, AccountEnabled } |
Format-Table DisplayName, UserPrincipalName, AccountEnabled

4. Ensure AccountEnabled is set to False for all Shared Mailboxes.

Remediation:
Block sign-in to shared mailboxes in the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Teams & groups and select Shared mailboxes.
3. Take note of all shared mailboxes.
4. Click to expand Users and select Active users.
5. Select a shared mailbox account to open it's properties pane and then select
Block sign-in.
6. Check the box for Block this user from signing in.
7. Repeat for any additional shared mailboxes.

Page 33
Remediate in PowerShell using 2 modules:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"User.ReadWrite.All"
2. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. To disable sign-in for a single account:

$MBX = Get-EXOMailbox -Identity [email protected]

Update-MgUser -UserId $MBX.ExternalDirectoryObjectId -AccountEnabled:$false

3. The following will block sign-in to all Shared Mailboxes.

$MBX = Get-EXOMailbox -RecipientTypeDetails SharedMailbox

$MBX | ForEach-Object { Update-MgUser -UserId $_.ExternalDirectoryObjectId -
AccountEnabled:$false }

Default Value:
AccountEnabled: True

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/email/about-shared-
mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/email/create-a-shared-
mailbox?view=o365-worldwide#block-sign-in-for-the-shared-mailbox-account
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/block-user-accounts-
with-microsoft-365-powershell?view=o365-worldwide#block-individual-user-
accounts

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 34
1.3 Settings

Page 35
1.3.1 (L1) Ensure the 'Password expiration policy' is set to 'Set
passwords to never expire (recommended)' (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Microsoft cloud-only accounts have a pre-defined password policy that cannot be
changed. The only items that can change are the number of days until a password
expires and whether or whether passwords expire at all.
Rationale:
Organizations such as NIST and Microsoft have updated their password policy
recommendations to not arbitrarily require users to change their passwords after a
specific amount of time, unless there is evidence that the password is compromised, or
the user forgot it. They suggest this even for single factor (Password Only) use cases,
with a reasoning that forcing arbitrary password changes on users actually make the
passwords less secure. Other recommendations within this Benchmark suggest the use
of MFA authentication for at least critical accounts (at minimum), which makes
password expiration even less useful as well as password protection for Entra ID.
Impact:
When setting passwords not to expire it is important to have other controls in place to
supplement this setting. See below for related recommendations and user guidance.

• Ban common passwords.

• Educate users to not reuse organization passwords anywhere else.
• Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication registration for all users.

Page 36
Audit:
Ensure that Office 365 passwords are set to never expire:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings select Org Settings.
3. Click on Security & privacy.
4. Select Password expiration policy ensure that Set passwords to never
expire (recommended) has been checked.

To verify Office 365 Passwords Are Not Set to Expire, use the Microsoft Graph
PowerShell module:

1. Connect to the Microsoft Graph service using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Domain.Read.All".
2. Run the following Microsoft Online PowerShell command:

Get-MgDomain -DomainId <Domain Name> | ft PasswordValidityPeriodInDays

Remediation:
To set Office 365 passwords are set to never expire:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings select Org Settings.
3. Click on Security & privacy.
4. Check the Set passwords to never expire (recommended) box.
5. Click Save.

To set Office 365 Passwords Are Not Set to Expire, use the Microsoft Graph
PowerShell module:

1. Connect to the Microsoft Graph service using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Domain.ReadWrite.All".
2. Run the following Microsoft Graph PowerShell command:

Update-MgDomain -DomainId <Domain> -PasswordValidityPeriodInDays 2147483647 -

PasswordNotificationWindowInDays 30

Default Value:
If the property is not set, a default value of 90 days will be used

Page 37
References:

1. https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-3/sp800-63b.html
2. https://www.cisecurity.org/white-papers/cis-password-policy-guide/
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoft-365/admin/misc/password-policy-
recommendations?view=o365-worldwide

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 Use unique passwords for all enterprise assets. Best practice implementation
includes, at a minimum, an 8-character password for accounts using MFA and a
● ● ●
14-character password for accounts not using MFA.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that
● ●
system.

Page 38
1.3.2 (L1) Ensure 'Idle session timeout' is set to '3 hours (or less)'
for unmanaged devices (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Idle session timeout allows the configuration of a setting which will timeout inactive
users after a pre-determined amount of time. When a user reaches the set idle timeout
session, they'll get a notification that they're about to be signed out. They have to select
to stay signed in or they'll be automatically signed out of all Microsoft 365 web apps.
Combined with a Conditional Access rule this will only impact unmanaged devices. A
managed device is considered a device managed by Intune MDM.
The following Microsoft 365 web apps are supported.

• Outlook Web App

• OneDrive for Business
• SharePoint Online (SPO)
• Office.com and other start pages
• Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) on the web
• Microsoft 365 Admin Center

NOTE: Idle session timeout doesn't affect Microsoft 365 desktop and mobile apps.
The recommended setting is 3 hours (or less) for unmanaged devices.

Rationale:
Ending idle sessions through an automatic process can help protect sensitive company
data and will add another layer of security for end users who work on unmanaged
devices that can potentially be accessed by the public. Unauthorized individuals onsite
or remotely can take advantage of systems left unattended over time. Automatic timing
out of sessions makes this more difficult.
Impact:
If step 2 in the Audit/Remediation procedure is left out then there is no issue with this
from a security standpoint. However, it will require users on trusted devices to sign in
more frequently which could result in credential prompt fatigue.

Page 39
Audit:
Step 1 - Ensure Idle session timeout is configured:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Settings Select Org settings.
3. Click Security & Privacy tab.
4. Select Idle session timeout.
5. Verify Turn on to set the period of inactivity for users to be signed off
of Microsoft 365 web apps is set to 3 hours (or less).

Step 2 - Ensure the Conditional Access policy is in place:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Expand Protect > Conditional Access.
3. Inspect existing conditional access rules for one that meets the below conditions:

• Users is set to All users

• Cloud apps or actions > Select apps is set to Office 365.
• Conditions > Client apps is Browser and nothing else.
• Session is set to Use app enforced restrictions.
• Enable Policy is set to On

NOTE: To ensure that idle timeouts affect only unmanaged devices, both steps must be
completed.

Page 40
Remediation:
To configure Idle session timeout:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Settings Select Org settings.
3. Click Security & Privacy tab.
4. Select Idle session timeout.
5. Check the box Turn on to set the period of inactivity for users to be
signed off of Microsoft 365 web apps
6. Set a maximum value of 3 hours.
7. Click save.

Step 2 - Ensure the Conditional Access policy is in place:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Expand Protect > Conditional Access
3. Click New policy and give the policy a name.
4. Select Users > All users.
5. Select Cloud apps or actions > Select apps and select Office 365
6. Select Conditions > Client apps > Yes check only Browser unchecking all other
boxes.
7. Select Sessions and check Use app enforced restrictions.
8. Set Enable policy to On and click Create.

NOTE: To ensure that idle timeouts affect only unmanaged devices, both steps must be
completed.
Default Value:
Not configured. (Idle sessions will not timeout.)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/idle-session-
timeout-web-apps?view=o365-worldwide

Additional Information:
According to Microsoft idle session timeout isn't supported when third party cookies are
disabled in the browser. Users won't see any sign-out prompts.

Page 41
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.3 Configure Automatic Session Locking on Enterprise

Assets
v8 Configure automatic session locking on enterprise assets after a defined period ● ● ●
of inactivity. For general purpose operating systems, the period must not exceed
15 minutes. For mobile end-user devices, the period must not exceed 2 minutes.

Page 42
1.3.3 (L2) Ensure 'External sharing' of calendars is not available
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
External calendar sharing allows an administrator to enable the ability for users to share
calendars with anyone outside of the organization. Outside users will be sent a URL that
can be used to view the calendar.
Rationale:
Attackers often spend time learning about organizations before launching an attack.
Publicly available calendars can help attackers understand organizational relationships
and determine when specific users may be more vulnerable to an attack, such as when
they are traveling.
Impact:
This functionality is not widely used. As a result, it is unlikely that implementation of this
setting will cause an impact to most users. Users that do utilize this functionality are
likely to experience a minor inconvenience when scheduling meetings or synchronizing
calendars with people outside the tenant.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings select Org settings.
3. In the Services section click Calendar.
4. Verify Let your users share their calendars with people outside of your
organization who have Office 365 or Exchange is unchecked.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Get-SharingPolicy -Identity "Default Sharing Policy"

3. Verify Enabled is set to False

Page 43
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings select Org settings.
3. In the Services section click Calendar.
4. Uncheck Let your users share their calendars with people outside of
your organization who have Office 365 or Exchange.
5. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Set-SharingPolicy -Identity "Default Sharing Policy" -Enabled $False

Default Value:
Enabled (True)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/share-calendars-
with-external-users?view=o365-worldwide

Page 44
Additional Information:
The following script can be used to audit any mailboxes that might be sharing
calendars prior to disabling the feature globally:
$mailboxes = Get-Mailbox -ResultSize Unlimited

foreach ($mailbox in $mailboxes) {

# Get the name of the default calendar folder (depends on the mailbox's
language)
$calendarFolder = [string](Get-ExoMailboxFolderStatistics
$mailbox.PrimarySmtpAddress -FolderScope Calendar| Where-Object {
$_.FolderType -eq 'Calendar' }).Name

# Get users calendar folder settings for their default Calendar folder
# calendar has the format identity:\<calendar folder name>
$calendar = Get-MailboxCalendarFolder -Identity
"$($mailbox.PrimarySmtpAddress):\$calendarFolder"

if ($calendar.PublishEnabled) {
Write-Host -ForegroundColor Yellow "Calendar publishing is enabled
for $($mailbox.PrimarySmtpAddress) on $($calendar.PublishedCalendarUrl)"
}
}

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

v8 Enterprise Assets and Software
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software,
● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

Page 45
1.3.4 (L1) Ensure 'User owned apps and services' is restricted
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
By default, users can install add-ins in their Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
applications, allowing data access within the application.
Do not allow users to install add-ins in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
Rationale:
Attackers commonly use vulnerable and custom-built add-ins to access data in user
applications.
While allowing users to install add-ins by themselves does allow them to easily acquire
useful add-ins that integrate with Microsoft applications, it can represent a risk if not
used and monitored carefully.
Disable future user's ability to install add-ins in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
helps reduce your threat-surface and mitigate this risk.
Impact:
Implementation of this change will impact both end users and administrators. End users
will not be able to install add-ins that they may want to install.
Audit:
Ensure users installing Office Store add-ins, and enabling 365 trials is not
allowed:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings Select Org settings.
3. Under Services select User owned apps and services.
4. Verify Let users access the Office Store and Let users start trials on
behalf of your organization are Not Checked.

Page 46
Remediation:
To prohibit users installing Office Store add-ins and starting 365 trials:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings Select `Org settings'.
3. Under Services select User owned apps and services.
4. Uncheck Let users access the Office Store and Let users start trials on
behalf of your organization.
5. Click Save.

Default Value:
Let users access the Office Store is Checked
Let users start trials on behalf of your organization is Checked

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

5.1 Establish Secure Configurations

v7 Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all ● ● ●
authorized operating systems and software.

Page 47
1.3.5 (L1) Ensure internal phishing protection for Forms is
enabled (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Microsoft Forms can be used for phishing attacks by asking personal or sensitive
information and collecting the results. Microsoft 365 has built-in protection that will
proactively scan for phishing attempt in forms such personal information request.
Rationale:
Enabling internal phishing protection for Microsoft Forms will prevent attackers using
forms for phishing attacks by asking personal or other sensitive information and URLs.
Impact:
If potential phishing was detected, the form will be temporarily blocked and cannot be
distributed, and response collection will not happen until it is unblocked by the
administrator or keywords were removed by the creator.
Audit:
Ensure internal phishing protection for Forms is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings then select Org settings.
3. Under Services select Microsoft Forms.
4. Ensure the checkbox labeled Add internal phishing protection is checked
under Phishing protection.

Remediation:
To enable internal phishing protection for Forms:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings then select Org settings.
3. Under Services select Microsoft Forms.
4. Click the checkbox labeled Add internal phishing protection under Phishing
protection.
5. Click Save.

Default Value:
Internal Phishing Protection is enabled.

Page 48
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoft-forms/administrator-settings-
microsoft-forms
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoft-forms/review-unblock-forms-users-
detected-blocked-potential-phishing

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 10.1 Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software ● ● ●

Deploy and maintain anti-malware software on all enterprise assets.

14.2 Train Workforce Members to Recognize Social

v8 Engineering Attacks
Train workforce members to recognize social engineering attacks, such as
● ● ●
phishing, pre-texting, and tailgating.

Page 49
1.3.6 (L2) Ensure the customer lockbox feature is enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Customer Lockbox is a security feature that provides an additional layer of control and
transparency to customer data in Microsoft 365. It offers an approval process for
Microsoft support personnel to access organization data and creates an audited trail to
meet compliance requirements.
Rationale:
Enabling this feature protects organizational data against data spillage and exfiltration.
Impact:
Administrators will need to grant Microsoft access to the tenant environment prior to a
Microsoft engineer accessing the environment for support or troubleshooting.

Page 50
Audit:
Ensure the customer lockbox feature is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings then select Org settings.
3. Select Security & privacy tab.
4. Click Customer lockbox.
5. Ensure the box labeled Require approval for all data access requests is
checked.

To verify the Customer Lockbox feature is enabled using the SecureScore Portal:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 SecureScore portal.

https://securescore.microsoft.com
2. Search for Turn on customer lockbox feature under Improvement actions

To verify the Customer Lockbox feature is enabled using the REST API:
GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/security/secureScores
To verify the Customer Lockbox feature is enabled using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-OrganizationConfig | Select-Object CustomerLockBoxEnabled

3. Verify the value is set to True

Page 51
Remediation:
To enable the Customer Lockbox feature:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings then select Org settings.
3. Select Security & privacy tab.
4. Click Customer lockbox.
5. Check the box Require approval for all data access requests.
6. Click Save.

To set the Customer Lockbox feature to enabled using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-OrganizationConfig -CustomerLockBoxEnabled $true

Default Value:
Require approval for all data access requests - Unchecked
CustomerLockboxEnabled - False

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/customer-lockbox-
overview

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 52
1.3.7 (L2) Ensure 'third-party storage services' are restricted in
'Microsoft 365 on the web' (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Third-party storage can be enabled for users in Microsoft 365, allowing them to store
and share documents using services such as Dropbox, alongside OneDrive and team
sites.
Ensure Microsoft 365 on the web third-party storage services are restricted.

Rationale:
By using external storage services an organization may increase the risk of data
breaches and unauthorized access to confidential information. Additionally, third-party
services may not adhere to the same security standards as the organization, making it
difficult to maintain data privacy and security.
Impact:
Impact associated with this change is highly dependent upon current practices in the
tenant. If users do not use other storage providers, then minimal impact is likely.
However, if users do regularly utilize providers outside of the tenant this will affect their
ability to continue to do so.
Audit:
Ensure Microsoft 365 on the web is restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Go to Settings > Org Settings > Services > Microsoft 365 on the web
3. Ensure Let users open files stored in third-party storage services in
Microsoft 365 on the web is not checked.

Remediation:
To restrict Microsoft 365 on the web:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Go to Settings > Org Settings > Services > Microsoft 365 on the web
3. Uncheck Let users open files stored in third-party storage services in
Microsoft 365 on the web

Page 53
Default Value:
Enabled - Users are able to open files stored in third-party storage services
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/setup/set-up-file-storage-
and-sharing?view=o365-worldwide#enable-or-disable-third-party-storage-
services

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

13.1 Maintain an Inventory Sensitive Information

v7 Maintain an inventory of all sensitive information stored, processed, or
transmitted by the organization's technology systems, including those located
● ● ●
onsite or at a remote service provider.

13.4 Only Allow Access to Authorized Cloud Storage or

v7 Email Providers ● ●
Only allow access to authorized cloud storage or email providers.

Page 54
1.3.8 (L2) Ensure that Sways cannot be shared with people
outside of your organization (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Sway is a new app from Microsoft Office that allows users to create and share
interactive reports, personal stories, presentations, and more.
This setting controls user Sway sharing capability, both within and outside of the
organization. By default, Sway is enabled for everyone in the organization.
Rationale:
Disable external sharing of Sway documents that can contain sensitive information to
prevent accidental or arbitrary data leaks.
Impact:
Interactive reports, presentations, newsletters, and other items created in Sway will not
be shared outside the organization by users.
Audit:
Ensure that Sways cannot be shared with people outside of your organization:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings then select Org settings.
3. Under Services select Sway.
4. Confirm that under Sharing the following is not checked
o Option: Let people in your organization share their sways with
people outside your organization.

Remediation:
To ensure Sways cannot be viewed outside of your organization:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Settings then select Org settings.
3. Under Services select Sway
o Uncheck: Let people in your organization share their sways with
people outside your organization.
4. Click Save.

Page 55
Default Value:
Let people in your organization share their sways with people outside your
organization - Enabled

References:

1. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/administrator-settings-for-sway-
d298e79b-b6ab-44c6-9239-aa312f5784d4

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

13.1 Maintain an Inventory Sensitive Information

v7 Maintain an inventory of all sensitive information stored, processed, or
transmitted by the organization's technology systems, including those located
● ● ●
onsite or at a remote service provider.

Page 56
2 Microsoft 365 Defender
Microsoft 365 Defender, also known as Security, contains settings relating to policies,
rules, security that are common to many Microsoft 365 applications.
Direct link: https://security.microsoft.com/

Page 57
2.1 Email & collaboration

Page 58
2.1.1 (L2) Ensure Safe Links for Office Applications is Enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Enabling Safe Links policy for Office applications allows URL's that exist inside of Office
documents and email applications opened by Office, Office Online and Office mobile to
be processed against Defender for Office time-of-click verification and rewritten if
required.
Note: E5 Licensing includes a number of Built-in Protection policies. When auditing
policies note which policy you are viewing, and keep in mind CIS recommendations
often extend the Default or Build-in Policies provided by MS. In order to Pass the
highest priority policy must match all settings recommended.
Rationale:
Safe Links for Office applications extends phishing protection to documents and emails
that contain hyperlinks, even after they have been delivered to a user.
Impact:
User impact associated with this change is minor - users may experience a very short
delay when clicking on URLs in Office documents before being directed to the
requested site. Users should be informed of the change as, in the event a link is unsafe
and blocked, they will receive a message that it has been blocked.

Page 59
Audit:
Ensure Safe Links for Office Applications is Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com

2. Under Email & collaboration select Policies & rules
3. Select Threat policies then Safe Links
4. Inspect each policy and attempt to identify one that matches the parameters
outlined below.
5. Scroll down the pane and click on Edit Protection settings (Global Readers
will look for on or off values)
6. Ensure the following protection settings are set as outlined:

Email
o Checked On: Safe Links checks a list of known, malicious links
when users click links in email. URLs are rewritten by default
o Checked Apply Safe Links to email messages sent within the
organization
o Checked Apply real-time URL scanning for suspicious links and
links that point to files
o Checked Wait for URL scanning to complete before delivering the
message
o Unchecked Do not rewrite URLs, do checks via Safe Links API only.

Teams

o Checked On: Safe Links checks a list of known, malicious links

when users click links in Microsoft Teams. URLs are not rewritten

Office 365 Apps

o Checked On: Safe Links checks a list of known, malicious links

when users click links in Microsoft Office apps. URLs are not
rewritten

Click protection settings

oChecked Track user clicks

oUnchecked Let users click through the original URL
7. There is no recommendation for organization branding.
8. Click close

Page 60
To verify the Safe Links policy is enabled, use the Exchange Online PowerShell
Module:

1. Connect using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SafeLinksPolicy | Format-Table Name

3. Once this returns the list of policies run the following command to view the
policies.

Get-SafeLinksPolicy -Identity "Policy Name"

4. Verify the value for the following.

o EnableSafeLinksForEmail: True
o EnableSafeLinksForTeams: True
o EnableSafeLinksForOffice: True
o TrackClicks: True
o AllowClickThrough: False
o ScanUrls: True
o EnableForInternalSenders: True
o DeliverMessageAfterScan: True
o DisableUrlRewrite: False

Remediation:
To create a Safe Links policy:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com

2. Under Email & collaboration select Policies & rules
3. Select Threat policies then Safe Links
4. Click on +Create
5. Name the policy then click Next
6. In Domains select all valid domains for the organization and Next
7. Ensure the following URL & click protection settings are defined:

Email
o Checked On: Safe Links checks a list of known, malicious links
when users click links in email. URLs are rewritten by default
o Checked Apply Safe Links to email messages sent within the
organization
o Checked Apply real-time URL scanning for suspicious links and
links that point to files
o Checked Wait for URL scanning to complete before delivering the
message
o Unchecked Do not rewrite URLs, do checks via Safe Links API only.

Page 61
 Teams

o Checked On: Safe Links checks a list of known, malicious links

when users click links in Microsoft Teams. URLs are not rewritten

Office 365 Apps

o Checked On: Safe Links checks a list of known, malicious links

when users click links in Microsoft Office apps. URLs are not
rewritten

Click protection settings

o Checked Track user clicks

o Unchecked Let users click through the original URL
o There is no recommendation for organization branding.

8. Click Next twice and finally Submit

Page 62
To create a Safe Links policy using the Exchange Online PowerShell Module:

1. Connect using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell script to create a policy at highest priority that will
apply to all valid domains on the tenant:

# Create the Policy

$params = @{
Name = "CIS SafeLinks Policy"
EnableSafeLinksForEmail = $true
EnableSafeLinksForTeams = $true
EnableSafeLinksForOffice = $true
TrackClicks = $true
AllowClickThrough = $false
ScanUrls = $true
EnableForInternalSenders = $true
DeliverMessageAfterScan = $true
DisableUrlRewrite = $false

New-SafeLinksPolicy @params

# Create the rule for all users in all valid domains and associate with
Policy
New-SafeLinksRule -Name "CIS SafeLinks" -SafeLinksPolicy "CIS SafeLinks
Policy" -RecipientDomainIs (Get-AcceptedDomain).Name -Priority 0

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/safe-
links-policies-configure?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-
safelinkspolicy?view=exchange-ps
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/preset-security-policies?view=o365-worldwide

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 10.1 Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software ● ● ●

Deploy and maintain anti-malware software on all enterprise assets.

7.4 Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters

Enforce network-based URL filters that limit a system's ability to connect to
v7 websites not approved by the organization. This filtering shall be enforced for each ● ●
of the organization's systems, whether they are physically at an organization's
facilities or not.

Page 63
2.1.2 (L1) Ensure the Common Attachment Types Filter is
enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The Common Attachment Types Filter lets a user block known and custom malicious
file types from being attached to emails.
Rationale:
Blocking known malicious file types can help prevent malware-infested files from
infecting a host.
Impact:
Blocking common malicious file types should not cause an impact in modern computing
environments.
Audit:
Ensure the Common Attachment Types Filter is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Policies & rules.
3. On the Policies & rules page select Threat policies.
4. Under polices select Anti-malware and click on the Default (Default) policy.
5. On the policy page that appears on the righthand pane, under Protection
settings, verify that the Enable the common attachments filter has the value
of On.

To verify the Common Attachment Types Filter is enabled using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Get-MalwareFilterPolicy -Identity Default | Select-Object EnableFileFilter

3. Verify EnableFileFilter is set to True.

NOTE: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.

Page 64
Remediation:
To enable the Common Attachment Types Filter:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Policies & rules.
3. On the Policies & rules page select Threat policies.
4. Under polices select Anti-malware and click on the Default (Default) policy.
5. On the Policy page that appears on the right hand pane scroll to the bottom and
click on Edit protection settings, check the Enable the common attachments
filter.
6. Click Save.

To enable the Common Attachment Types Filter using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Set-MalwareFilterPolicy -Identity Default -EnableFileFilter $true

NOTE: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.
Default Value:
Always on
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/get-
malwarefilterpolicy?view=exchange-ps
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/anti-
malware-policies-configure?view=o365-worldwide

Page 65
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.6 Block Unnecessary File Types

v8 Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email ● ●
gateway.

7.9 Block Unnecessary File Types

v7 Block all e-mail attachments entering the organization's e-mail gateway if the ● ●
file types are unnecessary for the organization's business.

8.1 Utilize Centrally Managed Anti-malware Software

v7 Utilize centrally managed anti-malware software to continuously monitor and ● ●
defend each of the organization's workstations and servers.

Page 66
2.1.3 (L1) Ensure notifications for internal users sending malware
is Enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is the cloud-based filtering service that protects
organizations against spam, malware, and other email threats. EOP is included in all
Microsoft 365 organizations with Exchange Online mailboxes.
EOP uses flexible anti-malware policies for malware protection settings. These policies
can be set to notify Admins of malicious activity.
Rationale:
This setting alerts administrators that an internal user sent a message that contained
malware. This may indicate an account or machine compromise that would need to be
investigated.
Impact:
Notification of account with potential issues should not cause an impact to the user.
Audit:
Ensure notifications for internal users sending malware is Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand E-mail & Collaboration select Policies & rules.
3. On the Policies & rules page select Threat policies.
4. Under Policies select Anti-malware.
5. Click on the Default (Default) policy.
6. Ensure the setting Notify an admin about undelivered messages from
internal senders is set to On and that there is at least one email address under
Administrator email address.

Page 67
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following command:

Get-MalwareFilterPolicy | fl Identity,
EnableInternalSenderAdminNotifications, InternalSenderAdminAddress
NOTE: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.
Remediation:
To enable notifications for internal users sending malware:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand E-mail & Collaboration select Policies & rules.
3. On the Policies & rules page select Threat policies.
4. Under Policies select Anti-malware.
5. Click on the Default (Default) policy.
6. Click on Edit protection settings and change the settings for Notify an admin
about undelivered messages from internal senders to On and enter the email
address of the administrator who should be notified under Administrator email
address.
7. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following command:

Set-MalwareFilterPolicy -Identity '{Identity Name}' -

EnableInternalSenderAdminNotifications $True -InternalSenderAdminAddress
{[email protected]}
NOTE: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.

Page 68
Default Value:
EnableInternalSenderAdminNotifications : False
InternalSenderAdminAddress : $null

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

17.5 Assign Key Roles and Responsibilities

Assign key roles and responsibilities for incident response, including staff from
v8 legal, IT, information security, facilities, public relations, human resources, incident ● ●
responders, and analysts, as applicable. Review annually, or when significant
enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.

7.1 Ensure Use of Only Fully Supported Browsers and

Email Clients
v7 Ensure that only fully supported web browsers and email clients are allowed to ● ● ●
execute in the organization, ideally only using the latest version of the browsers
and email clients provided by the vendor.

8.1 Utilize Centrally Managed Anti-malware Software

v7 Utilize centrally managed anti-malware software to continuously monitor and ● ●
defend each of the organization's workstations and servers.

Page 69
2.1.4 (L2) Ensure Safe Attachments policy is enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
The Safe Attachments policy helps protect users from malware in email attachments by
scanning attachments for viruses, malware, and other malicious content. When an email
attachment is received by a user, Safe Attachments will scan the attachment in a secure
environment and provide a verdict on whether the attachment is safe or not.
Rationale:
Enabling Safe Attachments policy helps protect against malware threats in email
attachments by analyzing suspicious attachments in a secure, cloud-based environment
before they are delivered to the user's inbox. This provides an additional layer of
security and can prevent new or unseen types of malware from infiltrating the
organization's network.
Impact:
Delivery of email with attachments may be delayed while scanning is occurring.
Audit:
Ensure Safe Attachments policy is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand E-mail & Collaboration select Policies & rules.
3. On the Policies & rules page select Threat policies.
4. Under Policies select Safe Attachments.
5. Inspect the highest priority policy.
6. Ensure Users and domains and Included recipient domains are in scope for
the organization.
7. Ensure Safe Attachments detection response: is set to Block - Block current
and future messages and attachments with detected malware.
8. Ensure the Quarantine Policy is set to AdminOnlyAccessPolicy.
9. Ensure the policy is not disabled.

Page 70
To verify the Safe Attachments policy is enabled using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SafeAttachmentPolicy | where-object {$_.Enable -eq "True"}

Remediation:
To enable the Safe Attachments policy:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand E-mail & Collaboration select Policies & rules.
3. On the Policies & rules page select Threat policies.
4. Under Policies select Safe Attachments.
5. Click + Create.
6. Create a Policy Name and Description, and then click Next.
7. Select all valid domains and click Next.
8. Select Block.
9. Quarantine policy is AdminOnlyAccessPolicy.
10. Leave Enable redirect unchecked.
11. Click Next and finally Submit.

Default Value:
disabled
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.7 Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware

v8 Protections
Deploy and maintain email server anti-malware protections, such as
●
attachment scanning and/or sandboxing.

7.10 Sandbox All Email Attachments

v7 Use sandboxing to analyze and block inbound email attachments with ●
malicious behavior.

8.1 Utilize Centrally Managed Anti-malware Software

v7 Utilize centrally managed anti-malware software to continuously monitor and ● ●
defend each of the organization's workstations and servers.

Page 71
2.1.5 (L2) Ensure Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive,
and Microsoft Teams is Enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams scans these services
for malicious files.
Rationale:
Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams protect organizations
from inadvertently sharing malicious files. When a malicious file is detected that file is
blocked so that no one can open, copy, move, or share it until further actions are taken
by the organization's security team.
Impact:
Impact associated with Safe Attachments is minimal, and equivalent to impact
associated with anti-virus scanners in an environment.
Audit:
Ensure Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams is
Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com

2. Under Email & collaboration select Policies & rules
3. Select Threat policies then Safe Attachments.
4. Click on Global settings
5. Ensure the toggle is Enabled to Turn on Defender for Office 365 for
SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.
6. Ensure the toggle is Enabled to Turn on Safe Documents for Office clients.
7. Ensure the toggle is Deselected/Disabled to Allow people to click through
Protected View even if Safe Documents identified the file as malicious.

Page 72
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-AtpPolicyForO365 | fl
Name,EnableATPForSPOTeamsODB,EnableSafeDocs,AllowSafeDocsOpen
Verify the values for each parameter as below:
EnableATPForSPOTeamsODB : True
EnableSafeDocs : True
AllowSafeDocsOpen : False

Remediation:
To enable Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com

2. Under Email & collaboration select Policies & rules
3. Select Threat policies then Safe Attachments.
4. Click on Global settings
5. Click to Enable Turn on Defender for Office 365 for SharePoint, OneDrive,
and Microsoft Teams
6. Click to Enable Turn on Safe Documents for Office clients
7. Click to Disable Allow people to click through Protected View even if Safe
Documents identified the file as malicious.
8. Click Save

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-AtpPolicyForO365 -EnableATPForSPOTeamsODB $true -EnableSafeDocs $true -

AllowSafeDocsOpen $false

Page 73
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.7 Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware

v8 Protections
Deploy and maintain email server anti-malware protections, such as
●
attachment scanning and/or sandboxing.

v8 10.1 Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software ● ● ●

Deploy and maintain anti-malware software on all enterprise assets.

7.10 Sandbox All Email Attachments

v7 Use sandboxing to analyze and block inbound email attachments with ●
malicious behavior.

8.1 Utilize Centrally Managed Anti-malware Software

v7 Utilize centrally managed anti-malware software to continuously monitor and ● ●
defend each of the organization's workstations and servers.

Page 74
2.1.6 (L1) Ensure Exchange Online Spam Policies are set to
notify administrators (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
In Microsoft 365 organizations with mailboxes in Exchange Online or standalone
Exchange Online Protection (EOP) organizations without Exchange Online mailboxes,
email messages are automatically protected against spam (junk email) by EOP.
Configure Exchange Online Spam Policies to copy emails and notify someone when a
sender in the organization has been blocked for sending spam emails.
Rationale:
A blocked account is a good indication that the account in question has been breached
and an attacker is using it to send spam emails to other people.
Impact:
Notification of users that have been blocked should not cause an impact to the user.
Audit:
Ensure Exchange Online Spam Policies are set to notify administrators:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Policies & rules > Threat
policies.
3. Under Policies select Anti-spam.
4. Click on the Anti-spam outbound policy (default).
5. Verify that Send a copy of outbound messages that exceed these limits to
these users and groups is set to On, ensure the email address is correct.

Page 75
To verify the Exchange Online Spam Policies are set correctly using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-HostedOutboundSpamFilterPolicy | Select-Object Bcc*, Notify*

3. Verify both BccSuspiciousOutboundMail and NotifyOutboundSpam are set to True

and the email addresses to be notified are correct.

Note: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.
Remediation:
To set the Exchange Online Spam Policies:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Policies & rules> Threat
policies.
3. Under Policies select Anti-spam.
4. Click on the Anti-spam outbound policy (default).
5. Select Edit protection settings then under Notifications
6. Check Send a copy of outbound messages that exceed these limits to
these users and groups then enter the desired email addresses.
7. Check Notify these users and groups if a sender is blocked due to
sending outbound spam then enter the desired email addresses.
8. Click Save.

To set the Exchange Online Spam Policies correctly using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

$BccEmailAddress = @("<INSERT-EMAIL>")

$NotifyEmailAddress = @("<INSERT-EMAIL>")

Set-HostedOutboundSpamFilterPolicy -Identity Default -

BccSuspiciousOutboundAdditionalRecipients $BccEmailAddress -
BccSuspiciousOutboundMail $true -NotifyOutboundSpam $true -
NotifyOutboundSpamRecipients $NotifyEmailAddress
Note: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.

Page 76
Default Value:
BccSuspiciousOutboundAdditionalRecipients : {}
BccSuspiciousOutboundMail : False
NotifyOutboundSpamRecipients : {}
NotifyOutboundSpam : False

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

17.5 Assign Key Roles and Responsibilities

Assign key roles and responsibilities for incident response, including staff from
v8 legal, IT, information security, facilities, public relations, human resources, incident ● ●
responders, and analysts, as applicable. Review annually, or when significant
enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.

7.9 Block Unnecessary File Types

v7 Block all e-mail attachments entering the organization's e-mail gateway if the file ● ●
types are unnecessary for the organization's business.

7.10 Sandbox All Email Attachments

v7 Use sandboxing to analyze and block inbound email attachments with malicious ●
behavior.

Page 77
2.1.7 (L1) Ensure that an anti-phishing policy has been created
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
By default, Office 365 includes built-in features that help protect users from phishing
attacks. Set up anti-phishing polices to increase this protection, for example by refining
settings to better detect and prevent impersonation and spoofing attacks. The default
policy applies to all users within the organization and is a single view to fine-tune anti-
phishing protection. Custom policies can be created and configured for specific users,
groups or domains within the organization and will take precedence over the default
policy for the scoped users.
Rationale:
Protects users from phishing attacks (like impersonation and spoofing), and uses safety
tips to warn users about potentially harmful messages.
Impact:
Turning on Anti-Phishing should not cause an impact; messages will be displayed when
applicable.

Page 78
Audit:
Note: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.
Ensure that an anti-phishing policy has been created:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Policies & rules
3. Select Threat policies.
4. Under Policies select Anti-phishing.
5. Verify the Office365 AntiPhish Default (Default) policy exists and is Always
on.
6. Verify that Phishing email threshold is set to at least 2 - Aggressive
7. Verify the following features are enabled: Mailbox intelligence - Mailbox
intelligence for impersonations and Spoof intelligence.

To verify the anti-phishing policy using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online service using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Get-AntiPhishPolicy | Format-Table -AutoSize `

name, enabled, PhishThresholdLevel, `
EnableMailboxIntelligenceProtection, `
EnableMailboxIntelligence, EnableSpoofIntelligence

3. Verify values for Office365 AntiPhish Default and custom policies are:

• Enabled - True
• PhishThresholdLevel - at least 2
• EnableMailboxIntelligenceProtection - True
• EnableMailboxIntelligence - True
• EnableSpoofIntelligence - True

Page 79
Remediation:
Note: Audit and Remediation guidance may focus on the Default policy however, if a
Custom Policy exists in the organization's tenant then ensure the setting is set as
outlined in the highest priority policy listed.
To set the anti-phishing policy

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Policies & rules
3. Select Threat policies.
4. Under Policies select Anti-phishing.
5. Select the Office365 AntiPhish Default (Default) policy and click Edit
protection settings.
6. Set the Phishing email threshold to at least 2 - Aggressive.

Under Impersonation

• Check Enable mailbox intelligence (Recommended)

• Check Enable Intelligence for impersonation protection (Recommended).

Under Spoof

• Check Enable spoof intelligence (Recommended).

7. Click Save.

To create an anti-phishing policy using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online service using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

New-AntiPhishPolicy -Name "Office365 AntiPhish Policy"

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.7 Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware

v8 Protections
Deploy and maintain email server anti-malware protections, such as
●
attachment scanning and/or sandboxing.

v7 7 Email and Web Browser Protections

Email and Web Browser Protections

Page 80
2.1.8 (L1) Ensure that SPF records are published for all Exchange
Domains (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
For each domain that is configured in Exchange, a corresponding Sender Policy
Framework (SPF) record should be created.
Rationale:
SPF records allow Exchange Online Protection and other mail systems to know where
messages from domains are allowed to originate. This information can be used by that
system to determine how to treat the message based on if it is being spoofed or is valid.
Impact:
There should be minimal impact of setting up SPF records however, organizations
should ensure proper SPF record setup as email could be flagged as spam if SPF is not
setup appropriately.
Audit:
Ensure that SPF records are published for all Exchange Domains:

1. Open a command prompt.

2. Type the following command in PowerShell:

Resolve-DnsName [domain1.com] txt | fl

3. Ensure that a value exists and that it includes v=spf1

include:spf.protection.outlook.com. This designates Exchange Online as a
designated sender.

To verify the SPF records are published, use the REST API for each domain:
https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/domains/[DOMAIN.COM]/serviceConfigurationRec
ords

1. Ensure that a value exists that includes v=spf1

include:spf.protection.outlook.com. This designates Exchange Online as a
designated sender.

Page 81
Remediation:
To setup SPF records for Exchange Online accepted domains, perform the
following steps:

1. If all email in your domain is sent from and received by Exchange Online, add the
following TXT record for each Accepted Domain:

v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all

2. If there are other systems that send email in the environment, refer to this article
for the proper SPF configuration: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-
us/office365/SecurityCompliance/set-up-spf-in-office-365-to-help-prevent-
spoofing.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/email-authentication-spf-configure?view=o365-worldwide

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.5 Implement DMARC

v8 To lower the chance of spoofed or modified emails from valid domains,
implement DMARC policy and verification, starting with implementing the Sender
● ●
Policy Framework (SPF) and the DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) standards.

7.8 Implement DMARC and Enable Receiver-Side

Verification
v7 To lower the chance of spoofed or modified emails from valid domains,
implement Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance
● ●
(DMARC) policy and verification, starting by implementing the Sender Policy
Framework (SPF) and the DomainKeys Identified Mail(DKIM) standards.

Page 82
2.1.9 (L1) Ensure that DKIM is enabled for all Exchange Online
Domains (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
DKIM is one of the trio of Authentication methods (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) that help
prevent attackers from sending messages that look like they come from your domain.
DKIM lets an organization add a digital signature to outbound email messages in the
message header. When DKIM is configured, the organization authorizes it's domain to
associate, or sign, its name to an email message using cryptographic authentication.
Email systems that get email from this domain can use a digital signature to help verify
whether incoming email is legitimate.
Use of DKIM in addition to SPF and DMARC to help prevent malicious actors using
spoofing techniques from sending messages that look like they are coming from your
domain.
Rationale:
By enabling DKIM with Office 365, messages that are sent from Exchange Online will
be cryptographically signed. This will allow the receiving email system to validate that
the messages were generated by a server that the organization authorized and not
being spoofed.
Impact:
There should be no impact of setting up DKIM however, organizations should ensure
appropriate setup to ensure continuous mail-flow.

Page 83
Audit:
To ensure DKIM is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Expand Email & collaboration > Policies & rules > Threat policies.
3. Under Rules section click Email authentication settings.
4. Select DKIM
5. Click on each domain and confirm that Sign messages for this domain with
DKIM signatures is Enabled.
6. A status of Not signing DKIM signatures for this domain is an audit fail.

To verify DKIM is enabled, use the Exchange Online PowerShell Module:

1. Connect to Exchange Online service using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Get-DkimSigningConfig

3. Verify Enabled is set to True

Page 84
Remediation:
To setup DKIM records, first add the following records to your DNS system, for
each domain in Exchange Online that you plan to use to send email with:

1. For each accepted domain in Exchange Online, two DNS entries are required.

Host name: selector1._domainkey

Points to address or value: selector1-
<domainGUID>._domainkey.<initialDomain>
TTL: 3600
Host name: selector2._domainkey
Points to address or value: selector2-
<domainGUID>._domainkey.<initialDomain>
TTL: 3600
For Office 365, the selectors will always be selector1 or selector2.
domainGUID is the same as the domainGUID in the customized MX record for your
custom domain that appears before mail.protection.outlook.com. For example, in the
following MX record for the domain contoso.com, the domainGUID is contoso-com:
contoso.com. 3600 IN MX 5 contoso-com.mail.protection.outlook.com
The initial domain is the domain that you used when you signed up for Office 365. Initial
domains always end in on microsoft.com.

1. After the DNS records are created, enable DKIM signing in Defender.
2. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/
3. Expand Email & collaboration > Policies & rules > Threat policies.
4. Under Rules section click Email authentication settings.
5. Select DKIM
6. Click on each domain and click Enable next to Sign messages for this domain
with DKIM signature.

To set DKIM is enabled, use the Exchange Online PowerShell Module:

1. Connect to Exchange Online service using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

Set-DkimSigningConfig -Identity < domainName > -Enabled $True

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/email-authentication-dkim-configure?view=o365-worldwide

Page 85
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.5 Implement DMARC

v8 To lower the chance of spoofed or modified emails from valid domains,
implement DMARC policy and verification, starting with implementing the Sender
● ●
Policy Framework (SPF) and the DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) standards.

7.8 Implement DMARC and Enable Receiver-Side

Verification
v7 To lower the chance of spoofed or modified emails from valid domains,
implement Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance
● ●
(DMARC) policy and verification, starting by implementing the Sender Policy
Framework (SPF) and the DomainKeys Identified Mail(DKIM) standards.

Page 86
2.1.10 (L1) Ensure DMARC Records for all Exchange Online
domains are published (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
DMARC, or Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance,
assists recipient mail systems in determining the appropriate action to take when
messages from a domain fail to meet SPF or DKIM authentication criteria.
Rationale:
DMARC strengthens the trustworthiness of messages sent from an organization's
domain to destination email systems. By integrating DMARC with SPF (Sender Policy
Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), organizations can significantly
enhance their defenses against email spoofing and phishing attempts.
Impact:
There should be no impact of setting up DMARC however, organizations should ensure
appropriate setup to ensure continuous mail-flow.

Page 87
Audit:
Ensure DMARC Records for all Exchange Online domains are published:

1. Open a command prompt.

2. For each of the Accepted Domains in Exchange Online run the following in
PowerShell:

Resolve-DnsName _dmarc.[domain1.com] txt

3. Ensure that the record exists and has at minimum the following flags defined as
follows:
v=DMARC1; (p=quarantine OR p=reject), pct=100, rua=mailto:<reporting email
address> and ruf=mailto:<reporting email address>

The below example records would pass as they contain a policy that would either
quarantine or reject messages failing DMARC, the policy affects 100% of mail pct=100
as well as containing valid reporting addresses:
v=DMARC1; p=reject; pct=100; rua=mailto:[email protected];
ruf=mailto:[email protected]; fo=1

v=DMARC1; p=reject; pct=100; fo=1; ri=3600; rua=mailto:[email protected];

ruf=mailto:[email protected]

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; sp=none; fo=1; ri=3600;

rua=mailto:[email protected]; [email protected];

4. Ensure the Microsoft MOERA domain is also configured.

Resolve-DnsName _dmarc.[tenant].onmicrosoft.com txt

5. Ensure the record meets the same criteria listed in step #3.

Page 88
Remediation:
To add DMARC records, use the following steps:

1. For each Exchange Online Accepted Domain, add the following record to DNS:

Record: _dmarc.domain1.com
Type: TXT
Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:<[email protected]>;
ruf=mailto:<[email protected]>

2. This will create a basic DMARC policy that will allow the organization to start
monitoring message statistics.
3. The next steps will involve first implementing quarantine and next a reject policy
with 100 percent of email is affected. Microsoft has a list of best practices for
implementing DMARC that cover these steps in detail.

To establish a DMARC record for the MOERA domain:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/

2. Expand Settings and select Domains.
3. Select your tenant domain (for example, contoso.onmicrosoft.com).
4. Select DNS records and click + Add record.
5. Add a new record with the TXT name of _dmarc with the appropriate values
outlined above.

Note: The remediation portion involves a multi-staged approach over a period of time.
First, a baseline of the current state of email will be established with p=none and rua and
ruf. Once the environment is better understood and reports have been analyzed an
organization will move to the final state with dmarc record values as outlined in the audit
section.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/email-authentication-dmarc-configure?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/step-
by-step-guides/how-to-enable-dmarc-reporting-for-microsoft-online-email-routing-
address-moera-and-parked-domains?view=o365-worldwide

Page 89
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.5 Implement DMARC

v8 To lower the chance of spoofed or modified emails from valid domains,
implement DMARC policy and verification, starting with implementing the Sender
● ●
Policy Framework (SPF) and the DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) standards.

7.8 Implement DMARC and Enable Receiver-Side

Verification
v7 To lower the chance of spoofed or modified emails from valid domains,
implement Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance
● ●
(DMARC) policy and verification, starting by implementing the Sender Policy
Framework (SPF) and the DomainKeys Identified Mail(DKIM) standards.

Page 90
2.1.11 (L1) Ensure the spoofed domains report is reviewed
weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Use spoof intelligence in the Security Center on the Anti-spam settings page to review
all senders who are spoofing either domains that are part of the organization or spoofing
external domains. Spoof intelligence is available as part of Office 365 Enterprise E5 or
separately as part of Defender for Office 365 and as of October 2018 Exchange Online
Protection (EOP).
Rationale:
Bad actors spoof domains to trick users into conducting actions they normally would not
or should not via phishing emails. Running this report will inform the message
administrators of current activities, and the phishing techniques used by bad actors.
This information can be used to inform end users and plan against future campaigns.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review the spoofed domains report:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Under Email & collaboration click on Policies & rules then select Threat
policies.
3. Under Rules click on Tenant Allow / Block Lists then select Spoofed senders.
4. Review.

To view spoofed senders that were allowed or blocked by spoof intelligence in

the last 7 days:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SpoofIntelligenceInsight

3. Review.

Page 91
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/anti-
spoofing-spoof-intelligence?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/get-
spoofintelligenceinsight?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 92
2.1.12 (L1) Ensure the 'Restricted entities' report is reviewed
weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Microsoft 365 Defender reviews of Restricted Entities will provide a list of user accounts
restricted from sending e-mail. If a user exceeds one of the outbound sending limits as
specified in the service limits or in outbound spam policies, the user is restricted from
sending email, but they can still receive email.
Rationale:
Users who are found on the restricted users list have a high probability of having been
compromised. Review of this list will allow an organization to remediate these user
accounts, and then unblock them.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review the report of users who have had their email privileges restricted due to
spamming:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Under Email & collaboration navigate to Review.
3. Click Restricted Entities.
4. Review alerts and take appropriate action (unblocking) after account has been
remediated.

Review a list of users blocked from sending messages using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-BlockedSenderAddress

3. Review.

Page 93
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/responding-to-a-compromised-email-account?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/removing-user-from-restricted-users-portal-after-spam?view=o365-
worldwide
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/get-
blockedsenderaddress?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 94
2.1.13 (L1) Ensure malware trends are reviewed at least weekly
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Threat explorer shows specific instances of Microsoft blocking a malware attachment
from reaching users, phishing being blocked, impersonation attempts, etc. The report
should be reviewed at least weekly.
Rationale:
While this report isn't strictly actionable, reviewing it will give a sense of the overall
volume of various security threats targeting users, which may prompt adoption of more
aggressive threat mitigations.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Email & collaboration select Review.
3. Select Malware trends.
4. On the Threat Explorer page, select each tab to review statistics.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/reports-email-security?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/threat-explorer-real-time-detections-about?view=o365-worldwide

Page 95
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 96
2.1.14 (L2) Ensure comprehensive attachment filtering is applied
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
The Common Attachment Types Filter lets a user block known and custom malicious
file types from being attached to emails. The policy provided by Microsoft covers 53
extensions, and an additional custom list of extensions can be defined.
The list of 187 extensions provided in this recommendation is comprehensive but not
exhaustive.
Rationale:
Blocking known malicious file types can help prevent malware-infested files from
infecting a host or performing other malicious attacks such as phishing and data
extraction.
Defining a comprehensive list of attachments can help protect against additional
unknown and known threats. Many legacy file formats, binary files and compressed files
have been used as delivery mechanisms for malicious software. Organizations can
protect themselves from Business E-mail Compromise (BEC) by allow-listing only the
file types relevant to their line of business and blocking all others.
Impact:
For file types that are business necessary users will need to use other organizationally
approved methods to transfer blocked extension types between business partners.
Audit:
Note: Utilizing the UI for auditing Anti-malware policies can be very time consuming so
it is recommended to use a script like the one supplied below.
To Audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following script:

Page 97
# Evaluate each Malware policy containing over 120 extensions
# Output a report showing a list of missing extensions and other params.

$L2Extensions = @(
"7z", "a3x", "ace", "ade", "adp", "ani", "app", "appinstaller",
"applescript", "application", "appref-ms", "appx", "appxbundle", "arj",
"asd", "asx", "bas", "bat", "bgi", "bz2", "cab", "chm", "cmd", "com",
"cpl", "crt", "cs", "csh", "daa", "dbf", "dcr", "deb",
"desktopthemepackfile", "dex", "diagcab", "dif", "dir", "dll", "dmg",
"doc", "docm", "dot", "dotm", "elf", "eml", "exe", "fxp", "gadget", "gz",
"hlp", "hta", "htc", "htm", "htm", "html", "html", "hwpx", "ics", "img",
"inf", "ins", "iqy", "iso", "isp", "jar", "jnlp", "js", "jse", "kext",
"ksh", "lha", "lib", "library-ms", "lnk", "lzh", "macho", "mam", "mda",
"mdb", "mde", "mdt", "mdw", "mdz", "mht", "mhtml", "mof", "msc", "msi",
"msix", "msp", "msrcincident", "mst", "ocx", "odt", "ops", "oxps", "pcd",
"pif", "plg", "pot", "potm", "ppa", "ppam", "ppkg", "pps", "ppsm", "ppt",
"pptm", "prf", "prg", "ps1", "ps11", "ps11xml", "ps1xml", "ps2",
"ps2xml", "psc1", "psc2", "pub", "py", "pyc", "pyo", "pyw", "pyz",
"pyzw", "rar", "reg", "rev", "rtf", "scf", "scpt", "scr", "sct",
"searchConnector-ms", "service", "settingcontent-ms", "sh", "shb", "shs",
"shtm", "shtml", "sldm", "slk", "so", "spl", "stm", "svg", "swf", "sys",
"tar", "theme", "themepack", "timer", "uif", "url", "uue", "vb", "vbe",
"vbs", "vhd", "vhdx", "vxd", "wbk", "website", "wim", "wiz", "ws", "wsc",
"wsf", "wsh", "xla", "xlam", "xlc", "xll", "xlm", "xls", "xlsb", "xlsm",
"xlt", "xltm", "xlw", "xml", "xnk", "xps", "xsl", "xz", "z"
)

$MissingCount = 0
$ExtensionPolicies = $null
$RLine = $ExtensionReport = @()
$FilterRules = Get-MalwareFilterRule
$DateTime = $(((Get-Date).ToUniversalTime()).ToString("yyyyMMddTHHmmssZ"))
$OutputFilePath = "$PWD\CIS-Report_$($DateTime).txt"

$RLine += "$(Get-Date)`n"

function Test-MalwarePolicy {
param (
$PolicyId
)
# Find the matching rule for custom policies
$FoundRule = $null
$FoundRule = $FilterRules |
Where-Object { $_.MalwareFilterPolicy -eq $PolicyId }

if ($PolicyId.EnableFileFilter -eq $false) {

$script:RLine += "WARNING: Common attachments filter is disabled."
}
if ($FoundRule.State -eq 'Disabled') {
$script:RLine += "WARNING: The Anti-malware rule is disabled."
}

$script:RLine += "`nManual review needed - Domains, inclusions and

exclusions must be valid:"
$script:RLine += $FoundRule |
Format-List Name, RecipientDomainIs, Sent*, Except*
}

Page 98
# Match any policy that has over 120 extensions defined
$ExtensionPolicies = Get-MalwareFilterPolicy |
Where-Object {$_.FileTypes.Count -gt 120 }

if (!$ExtensionPolicies) {
Write-Host "`nFAIL: A policy containing the minimum number of extensions
was not found." -ForegroundColor Red
Write-Host "Only policies with over 120 extensions defined will be
evaluated." -ForegroundColor Red
Exit
}

# Check each policy for missing extensions

foreach ($policy in $ExtensionPolicies) {
$MissingExtensions = $L2Extensions |
Where-Object {
$extension = $_; -not $policy.FileTypes.Contains($extension)
}
if ($MissingExtensions.Count -eq 0) {
$RLine += "-" * 60
$RLine += "[FOUND] $($policy.Identity)"
$RLine += "-" * 60
$RLine += "PASS: Policy contains all extensions"
Test-MalwarePolicy -PolicyId $policy
} else {
$MissingCount++
$ExtensionReport += @{
Identity = $policy.Identity
MissingExtensions = $MissingExtensions -join ', '
}
}
}

if ($MissingCount -gt 0) {
foreach ($fpolicy in $ExtensionReport) {
$RLine += "-" * 60
$RLine += "[PARTIAL] $($fpolicy.Identity)"
$RLine += "-" * 60
$RLine += "NOTICE - The following extensions were not found:`n"
$RLine += "$($fpolicy.MissingExtensions)`n"
Test-MalwarePolicy -PolicyId $fpolicy.Identity
}
}

# Output the report to a text file

Out-File -FilePath $OutputFilePath -InputObject $RLine
Get-Content $OutputFilePath
Write-Host "`nLog file exported to" $OutputFilePath

3. Review the exported results which are stored in the present working directory.

Page 99
 4. A pass for this recommendation is made when an active policy is in place that
covers all extensions except for those explicitly defined as an exception by the
organization. A passing policy must also be enabled and have the
EnableFileFilter parameter enabled.
5. Review any manual steps listed in the output, exceptions and inclusions are
organizational specific.

Note: Weighting by individual extension risk is beyond the scope of this document.
Organizations should evaluate these both independently and based on business need.

Page 100
Remediation:
To Remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following script:

# Create an attachment policy and associated rule. The rule is

# intentionally disabled allowing the org to enable it when ready

$Policy = @{
Name = "CIS L2 Attachment Policy"
EnableFileFilter = $true
ZapEnabled = $true
EnableInternalSenderAdminNotifications = $true
InternalSenderAdminAddress = '[email protected]' # Change this.
}

$L2Extensions = @(
"7z", "a3x", "ace", "ade", "adp", "ani", "app", "appinstaller",
"applescript", "application", "appref-ms", "appx", "appxbundle", "arj",
"asd", "asx", "bas", "bat", "bgi", "bz2", "cab", "chm", "cmd", "com",
"cpl", "crt", "cs", "csh", "daa", "dbf", "dcr", "deb",
"desktopthemepackfile", "dex", "diagcab", "dif", "dir", "dll", "dmg",
"doc", "docm", "dot", "dotm", "elf", "eml", "exe", "fxp", "gadget", "gz",
"hlp", "hta", "htc", "htm", "htm", "html", "html", "hwpx", "ics", "img",
"inf", "ins", "iqy", "iso", "isp", "jar", "jnlp", "js", "jse", "kext",
"ksh", "lha", "lib", "library-ms", "lnk", "lzh", "macho", "mam", "mda",
"mdb", "mde", "mdt", "mdw", "mdz", "mht", "mhtml", "mof", "msc", "msi",
"msix", "msp", "msrcincident", "mst", "ocx", "odt", "ops", "oxps", "pcd",
"pif", "plg", "pot", "potm", "ppa", "ppam", "ppkg", "pps", "ppsm", "ppt",
"pptm", "prf", "prg", "ps1", "ps11", "ps11xml", "ps1xml", "ps2",
"ps2xml", "psc1", "psc2", "pub", "py", "pyc", "pyo", "pyw", "pyz",
"pyzw", "rar", "reg", "rev", "rtf", "scf", "scpt", "scr", "sct",
"searchConnector-ms", "service", "settingcontent-ms", "sh", "shb", "shs",
"shtm", "shtml", "sldm", "slk", "so", "spl", "stm", "svg", "swf", "sys",
"tar", "theme", "themepack", "timer", "uif", "url", "uue", "vb", "vbe",
"vbs", "vhd", "vhdx", "vxd", "wbk", "website", "wim", "wiz", "ws", "wsc",
"wsf", "wsh", "xla", "xlam", "xlc", "xll", "xlm", "xls", "xlsb", "xlsm",
"xlt", "xltm", "xlw", "xml", "xnk", "xps", "xsl", "xz", "z"
)

# Create the policy

New-MalwareFilterPolicy @Policy -FileTypes $L2Extensions
# Create the rule for all accepted domains
$Rule = @{
Name = $Policy.Name
Enabled = $false
MalwareFilterPolicy = $Policy.Name
RecipientDomainIs = (Get-AcceptedDomain).Name
Priority = 0
}

New-MalwareFilterRule @Rule

Page 101
 3. When prepared enable the rule either through the UI or PowerShell.

Note: Due to the number of extensions the UI method is not covered. The objects can
however be edited in the UI or manually added using the list from the script.

1. Navigate to Microsoft Defender at https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Browse to Policies & rules > Threat policies > Anti-malware.

Default Value:
The following extensions are blocked by default:
ace, ani, apk, app, appx, arj, bat, cab, cmd, com, deb, dex, dll, docm, elf, exe, hta, img,
iso, jar, jnlp, kext, lha, lib, library, lnk, lzh, macho, msc, msi, msix, msp, mst, pif, ppa,
ppam, reg, rev, scf, scr, sct, sys, uif, vb, vbe, vbs, vxd, wsc, wsf, wsh, xll, xz, z
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/get-
malwarefilterpolicy?view=exchange-ps
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/anti-
malware-policies-configure?view=o365-worldwide
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/compat/office-file-format-reference

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.6 Block Unnecessary File Types

v8 Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email ● ●
gateway.

7.9 Block Unnecessary File Types

v7 Block all e-mail attachments entering the organization's e-mail gateway if the ● ●
file types are unnecessary for the organization's business.

8.1 Utilize Centrally Managed Anti-malware Software

v7 Utilize centrally managed anti-malware software to continuously monitor and ● ●
defend each of the organization's workstations and servers.

Page 102
2.2 Cloud apps

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 103
2.3 Audit

Page 104
2.3.1 (L1) Ensure the Account Provisioning Activity report is
reviewed at least weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The Account Provisioning Activity report details any account provisioning that was
attempted by an external application.
Rationale:
If the organization doesn't usually use a third-party provider to manage accounts, any
entry on the list is likely illicit. Otherwise, it is recommended to monitor transaction
volumes and look for new or unusual third party applications that may be managing
users. If anything unusual is observed, the provider should be contacted to determine
the legitimacy of the action.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.

Page 105
Remediation:
To review the Account Provisioning Activity report:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click on Audit.
3. Set Activities to Added user for User administration activities.
4. Set Start Date and End Date.
5. Click Search.
6. Review.

To review Account Provisioning Activity report using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

$startDate = ((Get-date).AddDays(-7)).ToShortDateString()
$endDate = (Get-date).ToShortDateString()

Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate $startDate -EndDate $endDate | Where-Object

{ $_.Operations -eq "add user." }

3. Review the output.

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 106
2.3.2 (L1) Ensure non-global administrator role group
assignments are reviewed at least weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Non-global administrator role group assignments should be reviewed at least every
week.
Rationale:
While these roles are less powerful than a global admin, they do grant special privileges
that can be used illicitly. If unusual activity is detected, contact the user to confirm it is a
legitimate need.
Audit:
To verify non-global administrator role group assignments are being reviewed at least
weekly, confirm that the necessary procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review non-global administrator role group assignments:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Click on Audit.
3. Set Added member to Role and Removed a user from a directory role for
Activities.
4. Set Start Date and End Date.
5. Click Search.
6. Review.

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 107
2.4 Settings

Page 108
2.4.1 (L1) Ensure Priority account protection is enabled and
configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Identify priority accounts to utilize Microsoft 365's advanced custom security features.
This is an essential tool to bolster protection for users who are frequently targeted due
to their critical positions, such as executives, leaders, managers, or others who have
access to sensitive, confidential, financial, or high-priority information.
Once these accounts are identified, several services and features can be enabled,
including threat policies, enhanced sign-in protection through conditional access
policies, and alert policies, enabling faster response times for incident response teams.
Rationale:
Enabling priority account protection for users in Microsoft 365 is necessary to enhance
security for accounts with access to sensitive data and high privileges, such as CEOs,
CISOs, CFOs, and IT admins. These priority accounts are often targeted by spear
phishing or whaling attacks and require stronger protection to prevent account
compromise.
To address this, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offer several key
features that provide extra security, including the identification of incidents and alerts
involving priority accounts and the use of built-in custom protections designed
specifically for them.

Page 109
Audit:
Audit with a 3-step process

Step 1: Verify Priority account protection is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Select Settings > E-mail & Collaboration > Priority account protection
3. Ensure Priority account protection is set to On

Step 2: Verify that priority accounts are identified and tagged accordingly:

4. Select User tags

5. Select the PRIORITY ACCOUNT tag and click Edit
6. Verify the assigned members match the organization's defined priority accounts
or groups.
7. Repeat the previous 2 steps for any additional tags identified, such as Finance or
HR.

Step 3: Ensure alerts are configured:

8. Expand E-mail & Collaboration on the left column.

9. Select Policies & rules > Alert policy
10. Ensure alert policies are configured for priority accounts, enabled and have a
valid recipient. The tags column can be used to identify policies using a specific
tag.

Page 110
Remediation:
Remediate with a 3-step process

Step 1: Enable Priority account protection in Microsoft 365 Defender:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Select Settings > E-mail & Collaboration > Priority account protection
3. Ensure Priority account protection is set to On

Step 2: Tag priority accounts:

4. Select User tags

5. Select the PRIORITY ACCOUNT tag and click Edit
6. Select Add members to add users, or groups. Groups are recommended.
7. Repeat the previous 2 steps for any additional tags needed, such as Finance or
HR.
8. Next and Submit.

Step 3: Configure E-mail alerts for Priority Accounts:

9. Expand E-mail & Collaboration on the left column.

10. Select New Alert Policy
11. Enter a valid policy Name & Description. Set Severity to High and Category to
Threat management.
12. Set Activity is to Detected malware in an e-mail message
13. Mail direction is Inbound
14. Select Add Condition and User: recipient tags are
15. In the Selection option field add chosen priority tags such as Priority account.
16. Select Every time an activity matches the rule.
17. Next and Verify valid recipient(s) are selected.
18. Next and select Yes, turn it on right away. Click Submit to save the alert.
19. Repeat steps 10 - 18 for the Activity field Activity is: Phishing email detected
at time of delivery

NOTE: Any additional activity types may be added as needed. Above are the minimum
recommended.
Default Value:
By default, priority accounts are undefined.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/setup/priority-accounts
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/security-recommendations-for-priority-accounts

Page 111
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.7 Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware

v8 Protections
Deploy and maintain email server anti-malware protections, such as
●
attachment scanning and/or sandboxing.

Page 112
2.4.2 (L1) Ensure Priority accounts have 'Strict protection' presets
applied (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Preset security policies have been established by Microsoft, utilizing observations and
experiences within datacenters to strike a balance between the exclusion of malicious
content from users and limiting unwarranted disruptions. These policies can apply to all,
or select users and encompass recommendations for addressing spam, malware, and
phishing threats. The policy parameters are pre-determined and non-adjustable.
Strict protection has the most aggressive protection of the 3 presets.

• EOP: Anti-spam, Anti-malware and Anti-phishing

• Defender: Spoof protection, Impersonation protection and Advanced phishing
• Defender: Safe Links and Safe Attachments

NOTE: The preset security polices cannot target Priority account TAGS currently,
groups should be used instead.
Rationale:
Enabling priority account protection for users in Microsoft 365 is necessary to enhance
security for accounts with access to sensitive data and high privileges, such as CEOs,
CISOs, CFOs, and IT admins. These priority accounts are often targeted by spear
phishing or whaling attacks and require stronger protection to prevent account
compromise.
The implementation of stringent, pre-defined policies may result in instances of false
positive, however, the benefit of requiring the end-user to preview junk email before
accessing their inbox outweighs the potential risk of mistakenly perceiving a malicious
email as safe due to its placement in the inbox.
Impact:
Strict policies are more likely to cause false positives in anti-spam, phishing,
impersonation, spoofing and intelligence responses.

Page 113
Audit:
Verify strict preset security policies have been applied to Priority accounts:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Select to expand E-mail & collaboration.
3. Select Policies & rules > Threat policies.
4. From here visit each section in turn: Anti-phishing Anti-spam Anti-malware Safe
Attachments Safe Links
5. Ensure in each there is a policy named Strict Preset Security Policy which
includes the organization's priority Accounts/Groups.

Remediation:
Enable strict preset security policies for Priority accounts:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Select to expand E-mail & collaboration.
3. Select Policies & rules > Threat policies > Preset security policies.
4. Click to Manage protection settings for Strict protection preset.
5. For Apply Exchange Online Protection select at minimum Specific recipients
and include the Accounts/Groups identified as Priority Accounts.
6. For Apply Defender for Office 365 Protection select at minimum Specific
recipients and include the Accounts/Groups identified as Priority Accounts.
7. For Impersonation protection click Next and add valid e-mails or priority
accounts both internal and external that may be subject to impersonation.
8. For Protected custom domains add the organization's domain name, along side
other key partners.
9. Click Next and finally Confirm

Default Value:
By default, presets are not applied to any users or groups.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/preset-security-policies?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/security-recommendations-for-priority-accounts
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/recommended-settings-for-eop-and-office365?view=o365-
worldwide#impersonation-settings-in-anti-phishing-policies-in-microsoft-defender-
for-office-365

Page 114
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.7 Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware

v8 Protections
Deploy and maintain email server anti-malware protections, such as
●
attachment scanning and/or sandboxing.

v8 10.7 Use Behavior-Based Anti-Malware Software ● ●

Use behavior-based anti-malware software.

Page 115
2.4.3 (L2) Ensure Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is enabled
and configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB). It
provides visibility into suspicious activity in Microsoft 365, enabling investigation into
potential security issues and facilitating the implementation of remediation measures if
necessary.
Some risk detection methods provided by Entra Identity Protection also require
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps:

• Suspicious manipulation of inbox rules

• Suspicious inbox forwarding
• New country detection
• Impossible travel detection
• Activity from anonymous IP addresses
• Mass access to sensitive files

Rationale:
Security teams can receive notifications of triggered alerts for atypical or suspicious
activities, see how the organization's data in Microsoft 365 is accessed and used,
suspend user accounts exhibiting suspicious activity, and require users to log back in to
Microsoft 365 apps after an alert has been triggered.
Audit:
Ensure Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is enabled and configured:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Select Settings > Cloud apps.
3. Scroll to Connected apps and select App connectors.
4. Ensure that Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure both show in the list as
Connected.
5. Go to Cloud Discovery > Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and check if the
integration is enabled.
6. Go to Information Protection > Files and verify Enable file monitoring is
checked.

Page 116
Remediation:
Configure Information Protection and Cloud Discovery:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Select Settings > Cloud apps.
3. Scroll to Information Protection and select Files.
4. Check Enable file monitoring.
5. Scroll up to Cloud Discovery and select Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
6. Check Enforce app access, configure a Notification URL and Save.

Note: Defender for Endpoint requires a Defender for Endpoint license.

Configure App Connectors:

1. Scroll to Connected apps and select App connectors.

2. Click on Connect an app and select Microsoft 365.
3. Check all Azure and Office 365 boxes then click Connect Office 365.
4. Repeat for the Microsoft Azure application.

Default Value:
Disabled
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/connect-office-365
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/connect-azure
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/best-practices
4. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/get-started
5. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-
protection/concept-identity-protection-risks

Additional Information:
Additional Microsoft 365 Defender features include:

• The option to use Defender for cloud apps as a reverse proxy, allowing for the
application of access or session controls through the definition of a conditional
access policy.
• The purchase and implementation of the "App Governance" add-on, which
provides more precise control over OAuth app permissions and includes
additional built-in policies.

A list of Defender for Cloud Apps built-in policies for Office 365 can be found at
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-cloud-apps/protect-office-365.

Page 117
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 10.1 Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software ● ● ●

Deploy and maintain anti-malware software on all enterprise assets.

10.5 Enable Anti-Exploitation Features

Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where
v8 possible, such as Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® ● ●
Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple® System Integrity Protection (SIP) and
Gatekeeper™.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

v7 16 Account Monitoring and Control

Account Monitoring and Control

Page 118
2.4.4 (L1) Ensure Zero-hour auto purge for Microsoft Teams is on
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Zero-hour auto purge (ZAP) is a protection feature that retroactively detects and
neutralizes malware and high confidence phishing. When ZAP for Teams protection
blocks a message, the message is blocked for everyone in the chat. The initial block
happens right after delivery, but ZAP occurs up to 48 hours after delivery.
Rationale:
ZAP is intended to protect users that have received zero-day malware messages or
content that is weaponized after being delivered to users. It does this by continually
monitoring spam and malware signatures taking automated retroactive action on
messages that have already been delivered.
Impact:
As with any anti-malware or anti-phishing product false positives may occur.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Click Settings > Email & collaboration > Microsoft Teams protection.
3. Ensure Zero-hour auto purge (ZAP) is set to On (Default)
4. Under Exclude these participants review the list of exclusions and ensure they
are justified and within tolerance for the organization.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following cmdlets:

Get-TeamsProtectionPolicy | fl ZapEnabled
Get-TeamsProtectionPolicyRule | fl ExceptIf*

3. Ensure ZapEnabled is True.

4. Review the list of exclusions and ensure they are justified and within tolerance for
the organization. If nothing returns from the 2nd cmdlet then there are no
exclusions defined.

Page 119
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Click Settings > Email & collaboration > Microsoft Teams protection.
3. Set Zero-hour auto purge (ZAP) to On (Default)

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Set-TeamsProtectionPolicy -Identity "Teams Protection Policy" -ZapEnabled

$true

Default Value:
On (Default)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/zero-
hour-auto-purge?view=o365-worldwide#zero-hour-auto-purge-zap-in-microsoft-
teams
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/mdo-
support-teams-about?view=o365-worldwide#configure-zap-for-teams-protection-
in-defender-for-office-365-plan-2

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 10.1 Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software ● ● ●

Deploy and maintain anti-malware software on all enterprise assets.

Page 120
3 Microsoft Purview
Microsoft Purview, also known as Compliance, contains settings related to all things
compliance, data governance, information protection and risk management.
Direct link: https://compliance.microsoft.com/

Page 121
3.1 Audit

Page 122
3.1.1 (L1) Ensure Microsoft 365 audit log search is Enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
When audit log search is enabled in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal, user and
admin activity within the organization is recorded in the audit log and retained for 90
days. However, some organizations may prefer to use a third-party security information
and event management (SIEM) application to access their auditing data. In this
scenario, a global admin can choose to turn off audit log search in Microsoft 365.
Rationale:
Enabling audit log search in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal can help
organizations improve their security posture, meet regulatory compliance requirements,
respond to security incidents, and gain valuable operational insights.
Audit:
Ensure Microsoft 365 audit log search is Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview https://compliance.microsoft.com.

2. Select Audit to open the audit search.
3. Choose a date and time frame in the past 30 days.
4. Verify search capabilities (e.g. try searching for Activities as Accessed file and
results should be displayed).

To verify audit log search is enabled using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-AdminAuditLogConfig | Select-Object UnifiedAuditLogIngestionEnabled

3. Ensure UnifiedAuditLogIngestionEnabled is set to True.

Page 123
Remediation:
To enable Microsoft 365 audit log search:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview https://compliance.microsoft.com.

2. Select Audit to open the audit search.
3. Click Start recording user and admin activity next to the information warning
at the top.
4. Click Yes on the dialog box to confirm.

To enable Microsoft 365 audit log search using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-AdminAuditLogConfig -UnifiedAuditLogIngestionEnabled $true

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/audit-log-enable-
disable?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-
adminauditlogconfig?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 124
3.1.2 (L1) Ensure user role group changes are reviewed at least
weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Role-Based Access Control allows for permissions to be assigned to users based on
their roles within an organization. It is a more manageable form of access control that is
less prone to errors. These user roles can be audited inside of Microsoft Purview to
provide a security auditor insight into user privilege change.
Rationale:
Weekly reviews provide an opportunity to identify rights changes in an organization and
are a large part of maintaining Least Privilege and preventing Privilege creep. Insider
Threats, either intentional or unintentional, can occur when a user has higher than
needed privileges. Maintaining accountability of role membership will keep insiders and
malicious actors limited in the scope of potential damaging activities.
Impact:
By performing regular reviews, the Administrators assigning rights to users will need to
inevitably provide justification for those changes to security auditors. Documentation
that includes detailed policies, procedures, and change requests will need to be
considered to keep a secure organization functioning within its planned operational
level.
Audit:
To verify user role group changes are being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the
necessary procedures are in place and being followed.

Page 125
Remediation:
To review user role group changes:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview https://compliance.microsoft.com/.

2. Under Solutions click on Audit then select New Search.
3. In Activities find Added member to Role under the Role administration
activities section and select it.
4. Set a valid Start Date and End Date within the last week.
5. Click Search.
6. Review once the search is completed.

To review user role group changes using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline

2. Run the following Exchange Online PowerShell command:

$startDate = ((Get-date).AddDays(-7)).ToShortDateString()
$endDate = (Get-date).ToShortDateString()

Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate $startDate -EndDate $endDate -RecordType

AzureActiveDirectory -Operations "Add member to role."

3. Review the output.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/search-
unifiedauditlog?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 126
3.2 Data loss protection

Page 127
3.2.1 (L1) Ensure DLP policies are enabled (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies allow Exchange Online and SharePoint Online
content to be scanned for specific types of data like social security numbers, credit card
numbers, or passwords.
Rationale:
Enabling DLP policies alerts users and administrators that specific types of data should
not be exposed, helping to protect the data from accidental exposure.
Impact:
Enabling a Teams DLP policy will allow sensitive data in Exchange Online and
SharePoint Online to be detected or blocked. Always ensure to follow appropriate
procedures during testing and implementation of DLP policies based on organizational
standards.
Audit:
Ensure DLP policies are enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview https://compliance.microsoft.com.

2. Under Solutions select Data loss prevention then Policies.
3. Verify that policies exist and are enabled.

Remediation:
To enable DLP policies:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview https://compliance.microsoft.com.

2. Under Solutions select Data loss prevention then Policies.
3. Click Create policy.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/dlp-learn-about-
dlp?view=o365-worldwide

Page 128
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.1 Establish and Maintain a Data Management Process

Establish and maintain a data management process. In the process, address
v8 data sensitivity, data owner, handling of data, data retention limits, and disposal
requirements, based on sensitivity and retention standards for the enterprise.
● ● ●
Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes
occur that could impact this Safeguard.

v7 13 Data Protection
Data Protection

14.7 Enforce Access Control to Data through Automated

v7 Tools
Use an automated tool, such as host-based Data Loss Prevention, to enforce
●
access controls to data even when data is copied off a system.

Page 129
3.2.2 (L1) Ensure DLP policies are enabled for Microsoft Teams
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
The default Teams Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy rule in Microsoft 365 is a
preconfigured rule that is automatically applied to all Teams conversations and
channels. The default rule helps prevent accidental sharing of sensitive information by
detecting and blocking certain types of content that are deemed sensitive or
inappropriate by the organization.
By default, the rule includes a check for the sensitive info type Credit Card Number
which is pre-defined by Microsoft.
Rationale:
Enabling the default Teams DLP policy rule in Microsoft 365 helps protect an
organization's sensitive information by preventing accidental sharing or leakage Credit
Card information in Teams conversations and channels.
DLP rules are not one size fits all, but at a minimum something should be defined. The
organization should identify sensitive information important to them and seek to
intercept it using DLP.
Impact:
End-users may be prevented from sharing certain types of content, which may require
them to adjust their behavior or seek permission from administrators to share specific
content. Administrators may receive requests from end-users for permission to share
certain types of content or to modify the policy to better fit the needs of their teams.

Page 130
Audit:
To audit the using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview compliance portal

https://compliance.microsoft.com.
2. Under Solutions select Data loss prevention then Policies.
3. Locate the Default policy for Teams.
4. Verify the Status is On.
5. Verify Locations include Teams chat and channel messages - All accounts.
6. Verify Policy settings incudes the Default Teams DLP policy rule or one
specific to the organization.

Note: If there is not a default policy for teams inspect existing policies starting with step
4. DLP rules are specific to the organization and each organization should take steps to
protect the data that matters to them. The default teams DLP rule will only alert on
Credit Card matches.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to the Security & Compliance PowerShell using Connect-IPPSSession.

2. Run the following to return policies that include Teams chat and channel
messages:

$DlpPolicy = Get-DlpCompliancePolicy
$DlpPolicy | Where-Object {$_.Workload -match "Teams"} |
ft Name,Mode,TeamsLocation*

3. If nothing returns then there are no policies that include Teams and remediation
is required.
4. For any returned policy verify Mode is set to Enable.
5. Verify TeamsLocation includes All.
6. Verify TeamsLocationException includes only permitted exceptions.

Note: Some tenants may not have a default policy for teams as Microsoft started
creating these by default at a particular point in time. In this case a new policy will have
to be created that includes a rule to protect data important to the organization such as
credit cards and PII.

Page 131
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview compliance portal

https://compliance.microsoft.com.
2. Under Solutions select Data loss prevention then Policies.
3. Click Policies tab.
4. Check Default policy for Teams then click Edit policy.
5. The edit policy window will appear click Next
6. At the Choose locations to apply the policy page, turn the status toggle to On
for Teams chat and channel messages location and then click Next.
7. On Customized advanced DLP rules page, ensure the Default Teams DLP
policy rule Status is On and click Next.
8. On the Policy mode page, select the radial for Turn it on right away and click
Next.
9. Review all the settings for the created policy on the Review your policy and
create it page, and then click submit.
10. Once the policy has been successfully submitted click Done.

Note: Some tenants may not have a default policy for teams as Microsoft started
creating these by default at a particular point in time. In this case a new policy will have
to be created that includes a rule to protect data important to the organization such as
credit cards and PII.
Default Value:
Enabled (On)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/exchange/connect-to-scc-
powershell?view=exchange-ps
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/dlp-teams-default-policy?view=o365-
worldwide%2F1000
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/connect-
ippssession?view=exchange-ps

Page 132
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.1 Establish and Maintain a Data Management Process

Establish and maintain a data management process. In the process, address
v8 data sensitivity, data owner, handling of data, data retention limits, and disposal
requirements, based on sensitivity and retention standards for the enterprise.
● ● ●
Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes
occur that could impact this Safeguard.

v7 13 Data Protection
Data Protection

14.7 Enforce Access Control to Data through Automated

v7 Tools
Use an automated tool, such as host-based Data Loss Prevention, to enforce
●
access controls to data even when data is copied off a system.

Page 133
3.3 Information Protection

Page 134
3.3.1 (L1) Ensure SharePoint Online Information Protection
policies are set up and used (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
SharePoint Online Data Classification Policies enables organizations to classify and
label content in SharePoint Online based on its sensitivity and business impact. This
setting helps organizations to manage and protect sensitive data by automatically
applying labels to content, which can then be used to apply policy-based protection and
governance controls.
Rationale:
By categorizing and applying policy-based protection, SharePoint Online Data
Classification Policies can help reduce the risk of data loss or exposure and enable
more effective incident response if a breach does occur.
Impact:
The creation of data classification policies is unlikely to have a significant impact on an
organization. However, maintaining long-term adherence to policies may require
ongoing training and compliance efforts across the organization. Therefore,
organizations should include training and compliance planning as part of the data
classification policy creation process.
Audit:
Ensure SharePoint Online Information Protection policies are set up and used:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview compliance portal

https://compliance.microsoft.com.
2. Under Solutions select Information protection.
3. Click on the Label policies tab.
4. Ensure that a Label policy exists and is published accordingly.

Page 135
Remediation:
To set up SharePoint Online Information Protection:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Purview compliance portal

https://compliance.microsoft.com.
2. Under Solutions select Information protection.
3. Click on the Label policies tab.
4. Click Create a label to create a label.
5. Select the label and click on the Publish label.
6. Fill out the forms to create the policy.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/data-classification-
overview?view=o365-worldwide#top-sensitivity-labels-applied-to-content
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/sensitivity-labels-sharepoint-onedrive-
files

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.7 Establish and Maintain a Data Classification Scheme

Establish and maintain an overall data classification scheme for the enterprise.
v8 Enterprises may use labels, such as “Sensitive,” “Confidential,” and “Public,” and
classify their data according to those labels. Review and update the classification
● ●
scheme annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact
this Safeguard.

13.1 Maintain an Inventory Sensitive Information

v7 Maintain an inventory of all sensitive information stored, processed, or
transmitted by the organization's technology systems, including those located
● ● ●
onsite or at a remote service provider.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, claims,
v7 application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will enforce the ● ● ●
principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the information
based on their need to access the information as a part of their responsibilities.

Page 136
4 Microsoft Intune admin center
This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.
CIS has platform specific benchmarks for Intune which are intended to harden
endpoints through Endpoint Manager (Microsoft Intune admin center). Those are
developed in the following WorkBench communities:
CIS Microsoft Intune for Windows:
https://workbench.cisecurity.org/communities/116
CIS Intune Apple iOS and iPadOS Benchmarks:
https://workbench.cisecurity.org/communities/179

Page 137
5 Microsoft Entra admin center
Microsoft Entra, also known as Identity, contains settings related to identity, conditional
access, and was formerly named Azure AD.
Direct link: https://entra.microsoft.com/

5.1 Identity

5.1.1 Overview

Page 138
5.1.1.1 (L1) Ensure Security Defaults is disabled on Azure Active
Directory (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Security defaults in Microsoft Entra ID make it easier to be secure and help protect the
organization. Security defaults contain preconfigured security settings for common
attacks.
By default, Microsoft enables security defaults. The goal is to ensure that all
organizations have a basic level of security enabled. The security default setting is
manipulated in the Azure Portal.
The use of security defaults, however, will prohibit custom settings which are being set
with more advanced settings from this benchmark.
Rationale:
Security defaults provide secure default settings that are managed on behalf of
organizations to keep customers safe until they are ready to manage their own identity
security settings.
For example, doing the following:

• Requiring all users and admins to register for MFA.

• Challenging users with MFA - mostly when they show up on a new device or app,
but more often for critical roles and tasks.
• Disabling authentication from legacy authentication clients, which can’t do MFA.

Impact:
The potential impact associated with disabling of Security Defaults is dependent upon
the security controls implemented in the environment. It is likely that most organizations
disabling Security Defaults plan to implement equivalent controls to replace Security
Defaults.
It may be necessary to check settings in other Microsoft products, such as Azure, to
ensure settings and functionality are as expected when disabling security defaults for
MS365.

Page 139
Audit:
Ensure security defaults is disabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Identity select Overview
3. Click Properties.
4. Review the section Security Defaults near the bottom
5. If Manage security defaults appears clickable then proceed to the remediation
section, otherwise read the note below.

NOTE: If Manage Conditional Access appears in blue then Security defaults are already
disabled, and CA is in use. The audit can be considered a Pass.

To verify security defaults is disabled using Microsoft Graph PowerShell:

1. Connect to the Microsoft Graph service using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Policy.Read.All".
2. Run the following Microsoft Graph PowerShell command:

Get-MgPolicyIdentitySecurityDefaultEnforcementPolicy | ft IsEnabled

3. If the value is false then Security Defaults is disabled.

Page 140
Remediation:
To disable security defaults:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Identity select Overview
3. Click Properties.
4. Click Manage security defaults.
5. Set the Security defaults dropdown to Disabled.
6. Select Save.

To configure security defaults using Microsoft Graph PowerShell:

1. Connect to the Microsoft Graph service using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Policy.ReadWrite.ConditionalAccess".
2. Run the following Microsoft Graph PowerShell command:

$params = @{ IsEnabled = $false }

Update-MgPolicyIdentitySecurityDefaultEnforcementPolicy -BodyParameter
$params
Warning: It is recommended not to disable security defaults until you are ready to
implement conditional access rules in the benchmark. Rules such as requiring MFA for
all users and blocking legacy protocols are required in CA to make up for the gap
created by disabling defaults. Plan accordingly. See the reference section for more
details on what coverage Security Defaults provide.
Default Value:
Enabled.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/concept-
fundamentals-security-defaults
2. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-active-directory-
identity/introducing-security-defaults/ba-p/1061414

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 141
5.1.2 Users

Page 142
5.1.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'Per-user MFA' is disabled (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Legacy per-user Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can be configured to require
individual users to provide multiple authentication factors, such as passwords and
additional verification codes, to access their accounts. It was introduced in earlier
versions of Office 365, prior to the more comprehensive implementation of Conditional
Access (CA).
Rationale:
Both security defaults and conditional access with security defaults turned off are not
compatible with per-user multi-factor authentication (MFA), which can lead to
undesirable user authentication states. The CIS Microsoft 365 Benchmark explicitly
employs Conditional Access for MFA as an enhancement over security defaults and as
a replacement for the outdated per-user MFA. To ensure a consistent authentication
state disable per-user MFA on all accounts.
Impact:
Accounts using per-user MFA will need to be migrated to use CA.
Prior to disabling per-user MFA the organization must be prepared to implement
conditional access MFA to avoid security gaps and allow for a smooth transition. This
will help ensure relevant accounts are covered by MFA during the change phase from
disabling per-user MFA to enabling CA MFA. Section 5.2.2 in this document covers
creating of a CA rule for both administrators and all users in the tenant.
Microsoft has documentation on migrating from per-user MFA Convert users from per-
user MFA to Conditional Access based MFA

Page 143
Audit:
To audit per-user MFA using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Users select All users.
3. Click on Per-user MFA on the top row.
4. Ensure under the column Multi-factor Auth Status that each account is set to
Disabled

Remediation:
Disable per-user MFA using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Users select All users.
3. Click on Per-user MFA on the top row.
4. Click the empty box next to Display Name to select all accounts.
5. On the far right under quick steps click Disable.

Default Value:
Disabled
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-
mfa-userstates#convert-users-from-per-user-mfa-to-conditional-access
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/security-and-
compliance/set-up-multi-factor-authentication?view=o365-worldwide#use-
conditional-access-policies
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-
mfa-userstates#convert-per-user-mfa-enabled-and-enforced-users-to-disabled

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.3 Require MFA for Externally-Exposed Applications

v8 Require all externally-exposed enterprise or third-party applications to enforce
MFA, where supported. Enforcing MFA through a directory service or SSO
● ●
provider is a satisfactory implementation of this Safeguard.

Page 144
5.1.2.2 (L2) Ensure third party integrated applications are not
allowed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
App registration allows users to register custom-developed applications for use within
the directory.
Rationale:
Third-party integrated applications connection to services should be disabled unless
there is a very clear value and robust security controls are in place. While there are
legitimate uses, attackers can grant access from breached accounts to third party
applications to exfiltrate data from your tenancy without having to maintain the breached
account.
Impact:
Implementation of this change will impact both end users and administrators. End users
will not be able to integrate third-party applications that they may wish to use.
Administrators are likely to receive requests from end users to grant them permission to
necessary third-party applications.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Users select Users settings.
3. Verify Users can register applications is set to No.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Policy.Read.All"

2. Run the following command:

(Get-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy).DefaultUserRolePermissions | fl
AllowedToCreateApps

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Page 145
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Users select Users settings.
3. Set Users can register applications to No.
4. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Policy.ReadWrite.Authorization"
2. Run the following commands:

$param = @{ AllowedToCreateApps = "$false" }

Update-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy -DefaultUserRolePermissions $param

Default Value:
Yes (Users can register applications.)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/active-directory-
how-applications-are-added

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

2.5 Allowlist Authorized Software

v8 Use technical controls, such as application allowlisting, to ensure that only
authorized software can execute or be accessed. Reassess bi-annually, or more
● ●
frequently.

18.4 Only Use Up-to-date And Trusted Third-Party

v7 Components
Only use up-to-date and trusted third-party components for the software
● ●
developed by the organization.

Page 146
5.1.2.3 (L1) Ensure 'Restrict non-admin users from creating
tenants' is set to 'Yes' (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Non-privileged users can create tenants in the Entra administration portal under
Manage tenant. The creation of a tenant is recorded in the Audit log as category
"DirectoryManagement" and activity "Create Company". Anyone who creates a tenant
becomes the Global Administrator of that tenant. The newly created tenant doesn't
inherit any settings or configurations.
Rationale:
Restricting tenant creation prevents unauthorized or uncontrolled deployment of
resources and ensures that the organization retains control over its infrastructure. User
generation of shadow IT could lead to multiple, disjointed environments that can make it
difficult for IT to manage and secure the organization's data, especially if other users in
the organization began using these tenants for business purposes under the
misunderstanding that they were secured by the organization's security team.
Impact:
Non-admin users will need to contact I.T. if they have a valid reason to create a tenant.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity> Users > User settings.
3. Ensure Restrict non-admin users from creating tenants is set to Yes

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Policy.Read.All"

2. Run the following commands:

(Get-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy).DefaultUserRolePermissions |
Select-Object AllowedToCreateTenants

3. Ensure the returned value is False

Page 147
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity> Users > User settings.
3. Set Restrict non-admin users from creating tenants to Yes then Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Policy.ReadWrite.Authorization"
2. Run the following commands.

# Create hashtable and update the auth policy

$params = @{ AllowedToCreateTenants = $false }
Update-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy -DefaultUserRolePermissions $params

Default Value:
No - Non-administrators can create tenants.
AllowedToCreateTenants is True

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/users-
default-permissions#restrict-member-users-default-permissions

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 148
5.1.2.4 (L1) Ensure 'Restrict access to the Azure AD
administration portal' is set to 'Yes' (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Restrict non-privileged users from signing into the Microsoft Entra admin center.
Note: This recommendation only affects access to the web portal. It does not prevent
privileged users from using other methods such as Rest API or PowerShell to obtain
information. Those channels are addressed elsewhere in this document.
Rationale:
The Microsoft Entra admin center contains sensitive data and permission settings,
which are still enforced based on the user's role. However, an end user may
inadvertently change properties or account settings that could result in increased
administrative overhead. Additionally, a compromised end user account could be used
by a malicious attacker as a means to gather additional information and escalate an
attack.
Note: Users will still be able to sign into Microsoft Entra admin center but will be
unable to see directory information.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity> Users > User settings.
3. Verify under the Administration center section that Restrict access to
Microsoft Entra admin center is set to Yes

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity> Users > User settings.
3. Set Restrict access to Microsoft Entra admin center to Yes then Save.

Default Value:
No - Non-administrators can access the Microsoft Entra admin center.

Page 149
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/users-
default-permissions#restrict-member-users-default-permissions

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 150
5.1.2.5 (L2) Ensure the option to remain signed in is hidden
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
The option for the user to Stay signed in, or the Keep me signed in option, will prompt
a user after a successful login. When the user selects this option, a persistent refresh
token is created. The refresh token lasts for 90 days by default and does not prompt for
sign-in or multifactor.
Rationale:
Allowing users to select this option presents risk, especially if the user signs into their
account on a publicly accessible computer/web browser. In this case it would be trivial
for an unauthorized person to gain access to any associated cloud data from that
account.
Impact:
Once this setting is hidden users will no longer be prompted upon sign-in with the
message Stay signed in?. This may mean users will be forced to sign in more
frequently. Important: some features of SharePoint Online and Office 2010 have a
dependency on users remaining signed in. If you hide this option, users may get
additional and unexpected sign in prompts.
Audit:
Ensure the option to remain signed in is hidden:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity> Users > User settings.
3. Ensure Show keep user signed in is highlighted No.

Remediation:
To disable the option to remain signed in:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity> Users > User settings.
3. Set Show keep user signed in to No.
4. Click Save.

Page 151
Default Value:
Users may select stay signed in

References:
1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/concepts-azure-
multi-factor-authentication-prompts-session-lifetime?source=recommendations
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/fundamentals/how-to-manage-stay-
signed-in-prompt

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

Page 152
5.1.2.6 (L2) Ensure 'LinkedIn account connections' is disabled
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
LinkedIn account connections allow users to connect their Microsoft work or school
account with LinkedIn. After a user connects their accounts, information and highlights
from LinkedIn are available in some Microsoft apps and services.
Rationale:
Disabling LinkedIn integration prevents potential phishing attacks and risk scenarios
where an external party could accidentally disclose sensitive information.
Impact:
Users will not be able to sync contacts or use LinkedIn integration.
Audit:
Ensure that LinkedIn account connections is disabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Users select User settings.
3. Under LinkedIn account connections ensure No is highlighted.

Remediation:
To disable LinkedIn account connections:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Users select User settings.
3. Under LinkedIn account connections select No.
4. Click Save.

Default Value:
LinkedIn integration is enabled by default.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/linkedin-
integration
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/linkedin-
user-consent

Page 153
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

13.3 Monitor and Block Unauthorized Network Traffic

v7 Deploy an automated tool on network perimeters that monitors for
unauthorized transfer of sensitive information and blocks such transfers while
●
alerting information security professionals.

Page 154
5.1.3 Groups

Page 155
5.1.3.1 (L1) Ensure a dynamic group for guest users is created
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
A dynamic group is a dynamic configuration of security group membership for Microsoft
Entra ID. Administrators can set rules to populate groups that are created in Entra ID
based on user attributes (such as userType, department, or country/region). Members
can be automatically added to or removed from a security group based on their
attributes.
The recommended state is to create a dynamic group that includes guest accounts.
Rationale:
Dynamic groups allow for an automated method to assign group membership.
Guest user accounts will be automatically added to this group and through this existing
conditional access rules, access controls and other security measures will ensure that
new guest accounts are restricted in the same manner as existing guest accounts.
Audit:
Ensure a dynamic guest group is created:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Groups select All groups.
3. On the right of the search field click Add filter.
4. Set Filter to Membership type and Value to Dynamic then apply.
5. Identify a dynamic group and select it.
6. Under manage, select Dynamic membership rules and ensure the rule syntax
contains (user.userType -eq "Guest")
7. If necessary, inspect other dynamic groups for the value above.

Using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Group.Read.All"

2. Run the following commands:

$groups = Get-MgGroup | Where-Object { $_.GroupTypes -contains

"DynamicMembership" }
$groups | ft DisplayName,GroupTypes,MembershipRule

3. Look for a dynamic group containing the rule (user.userType -eq "Guest")

Page 156
Remediation:
Create a dynamic guest group:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Groups select All groups.
3. Select New group and assign the following values:
o Group type: Security
o Microsoft Entra roles can be assigned to the group: No
o Membership type: Dynamic User
4. Select Add dynamic query.
5. Above the Rule syntax text box, select Edit.
6. Place the following expression in the box:

(user.userType -eq "Guest")

7. Select OK and Save

Using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Group.ReadWrite.All"
2. In the script below edit DisplayName and MailNickname as needed and run:

$params = @{
DisplayName = "Dynamic Test Group"
MailNickname = "DynGuestUsers"
MailEnabled = $false
SecurityEnabled = $true
GroupTypes = "DynamicMembership"
MembershipRule = '(user.userType -eq "Guest")'
MembershipRuleProcessingState = "On"
}

New-MgGroup @params

Default Value:
Undefined
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/groups-
create-rule
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/groups-
dynamic-membership
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/external-identities/use-
dynamic-groups

Page 157
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

Page 158
5.1.4 Devices

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 159
5.1.5 Applications

Page 160
5.1.5.1 (L1) Ensure the Application Usage report is reviewed at
least weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The Application Usage report includes a usage summary for all Software as a Service
(SaaS) applications that are integrated with the organization's directory.
Rationale:
Review the list of app registrations on a regular basis to look for risky apps that users
have enabled that could cause data spillage or accidental elevation of privilege.
Attackers can often get access to data illicitly through third-party SaaS applications.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review the Application Usage report:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Applications select Enterprise applications.
3. Under Activity select Usage & insights.
4. Review the information.

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 161
5.1.5.2 (L2) Ensure user consent to apps accessing company
data on their behalf is not allowed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Control when end users and group owners are allowed to grant consent to applications,
and when they will be required to request administrator review and approval. Allowing
users to grant apps access to data helps them acquire useful applications and be
productive but can represent a risk in some situations if it's not monitored and controlled
carefully.
Rationale:
Attackers commonly use custom applications to trick users into granting them access to
company data. Disabling future user consent operations setting mitigates this risk, and
helps to reduce the threat-surface. If user consent is disabled previous consent grants
will still be honored but all future consent operations must be performed by an
administrator.
Impact:
If user consent is disabled, previous consent grants will still be honored but all future
consent operations must be performed by an administrator. Tenant-wide admin consent
can be requested by users through an integrated administrator consent request
workflow or through organizational support processes.

Page 162
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Applications select Enterprise applications.
3. Under Security select Consent and permissions > User consent settings.
4. Verify User consent for applications is set to Do not allow user consent.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Microsoft Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Policy.Read.All"

2. Run the following command:

(Get-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy).DefaultUserRolePermissions |
Select-Object -ExpandProperty PermissionGrantPoliciesAssigned

3. Ensure ManagePermissionGrantsForSelf.microsoft-user-default-low is not

present OR that nothing is returned.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Applications select Enterprise applications.
3. Under Security select Consent and permissions > User consent settings.
4. Under User consent for applications select Do not allow user consent.
5. Click the Save option at the top of the window.

Default Value:
UI - Allow user consent for apps

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/manage-apps/configure-
user-consent?tabs=azure-portal&pivots=portal

Page 163
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

Page 164
5.1.5.3 (L1) Ensure the admin consent workflow is enabled
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The admin consent workflow gives admins a secure way to grant access to applications
that require admin approval. When a user tries to access an application but is unable to
provide consent, they can send a request for admin approval. The request is sent via
email to admins who have been designated as reviewers. A reviewer takes action on
the request, and the user is notified of the action.
Rationale:
The admin consent workflow (Preview) gives admins a secure way to grant access to
applications that require admin approval. When a user tries to access an application but
is unable to provide consent, they can send a request for admin approval. The request
is sent via email to admins who have been designated as reviewers. A reviewer acts on
the request, and the user is notified of the action.
Impact:
To approve requests, a reviewer must be a global administrator, cloud application
administrator, or application administrator. The reviewer must already have one of these
admin roles assigned; simply designating them as a reviewer doesn't elevate their
privileges.
Audit:
Ensure the admin consent workflow is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Applications select Enterprise applications.
3. Under Security select Consent and permissions.
4. Under Manage select Admin consent settings.
5. Verify that Users can request admin consent to apps they are unable to
consent to is set to Yes.

Page 165
Remediation:
To enable the admin consent workflow, use the Microsoft 365 Admin Center:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Applications select Enterprise applications.
3. Under Security select Consent and permissions.
4. Under Manage select Admin consent settings.
5. Set Users can request admin consent to apps they are unable to consent
to to Yes under Admin consent requests.
6. Under the Reviewers choose the Roles and Groups that will review user
generated app consent requests.
7. Set Selected users will receive email notifications for requests to Yes
8. Select Save at the top of the window.

Default Value:

• Users can request admin consent to apps they are unable to consent to:
No
• Selected users to review admin consent requests: None
• Selected users will receive email notifications for requests: Yes
• Selected users will receive request expiration reminders: Yes
• Consent request expires after (days): 30

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/manage-apps/configure-
admin-consent-workflow

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

2.5 Allowlist Authorized Software

v8 Use technical controls, such as application allowlisting, to ensure that only
authorized software can execute or be accessed. Reassess bi-annually, or more
● ●
frequently.

18.3 Verify That Acquired Software is Still Supported

v7 Verify that the version of all software acquired from outside your organization
is still supported by the developer or appropriately hardened based on developer
● ●
security recommendations.

Page 166
5.1.6 External Identities

Page 167
5.1.6.1 (L2) Ensure that collaboration invitations are sent to
allowed domains only (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
B2B collaboration is a feature within Microsoft Entra External ID that allows for guest
invitations to an organization.
Ensure users can only send invitations to specified domains.
NOTE: This list works independently from OneDrive for Business and SharePoint
Online allow/block lists. To restrict individual file sharing in SharePoint Online, set up an
allow or blocklist for OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online. For instance, in
SharePoint or OneDrive users can still share with external users from prohibited
domains by using Anyone links if they haven't been disabled.
Rationale:
By specifying allowed domains for collaborations, external user’s companies are
explicitly identified. Also, this prevents internal users from inviting unknown external
users such as personal accounts and granting them access to resources.
Impact:
This could make harder collaboration if the setting is not quickly updated when a new
domain is identified as "allowed".
Audit:
Ensure that collaboration invitations are sent to allowed domains only:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > External Identities select External collaboration
settings.
3. Under Collaboration restrictions, verify that Allow invitations only to the
specified domains (most restrictive) is selected. Then verify allowed
domains are specified under Target domains.

Page 168
Remediation:
To restrict collaboration invitations only to the specified domains:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > External Identities select External collaboration
settings.
3. Under Collaboration restrictions, select Allow invitations only to the
specified domains (most restrictive) is selected. Then specify the allowed
domains under Target domains.

Default Value:
Allow invitations to be sent to any domain (most inclusive)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/external-identities/allow-
deny-list
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/external-identities/what-
is-b2b

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.1 Establish an Access Granting Process

v8 Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for granting access to ● ● ●
enterprise assets upon new hire, rights grant, or role change of a user.

13.1 Maintain an Inventory Sensitive Information

v7 Maintain an inventory of all sensitive information stored, processed, or
transmitted by the organization's technology systems, including those located
● ● ●
onsite or at a remote service provider.

Page 169
5.1.7 User experiences

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 170
5.1.8 Hybrid management

Page 171
5.1.8.1 (L1) Ensure that password hash sync is enabled for hybrid
deployments (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Password hash synchronization is one of the sign-in methods used to accomplish hybrid
identity synchronization. Microsoft Entra Connect synchronizes a hash, of the hash, of a
user's password from an on-premises Active Directory instance to a cloud-based Entra
ID instance.
Note: Audit and remediation procedures in this recommendation only apply to Microsoft
365 tenants operating in a hybrid configuration using Entra Connect sync.
Rationale:
Password hash synchronization helps by reducing the number of passwords your users
need to maintain to just one and enables leaked credential detection for your hybrid
accounts. Leaked credential protection is leveraged through Entra ID Protection and is a
subset of that feature which can help identify if an organization's user account
passwords have appeared on the dark web or public spaces.
Using other options for your directory synchronization may be less resilient as Microsoft
can still process sign-ins to 365 with Hash Sync even if a network connection to your
on-premises environment is not available.
Impact:
Compliance or regulatory restrictions may exist, depending on the organization's
business sector, that preclude hashed versions of passwords from being securely
transmitted to cloud data centers.

Page 172
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity > Hybrid management > Microsoft Entra Connect.
3. Select Connect Sync
4. Under Microsoft Entra Connect sync, verify Password Hash Sync is Enabled.

To audit for the on-prem tool:

1. Log in to the server that hosts the Microsoft Entra Connect tool.
2. Run Azure AD Connect, and then click Configure and View or export current
configuration.
3. Determine whether PASSWORD HASH SYNCHRONIZATION is enabled on your tenant.

This information is also available via the Microsoft Graph Security API:
GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/security/secureScores
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to the Microsoft Graph service using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"Organization.Read.All".
2. Run the following Microsoft Graph PowerShell command:

Get-MgOrganization | ft OnPremisesSyncEnabled

3. If nothing returns then password sync is not enabled for the on premises AD.

Remediation:
To setup Password Hash Sync, use the following steps:

1. Log in to the on premises server that hosts the Microsoft Entra Connect tool
2. Double-click the Azure AD Connect icon that was created on the desktop
3. Click Configure.
4. On the Additional tasks page, select Customize synchronization options and
click Next.
5. Enter the username and password for your global administrator.
6. On the Connect your directories screen, click Next.
7. On the Domain and OU filtering screen, click Next.
8. On the Optional features screen, check Password hash synchronization and
click Next.
9. On the Ready to configure screen click Configure.
10. Once the configuration completes, click Exit.

Page 173
Default Value:

• Microsoft Entra Connect sync disabled by default

• Password Hash Sync is Microsoft's recommended setting for new deployments

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/whatis-phs
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-
protection/concept-identity-protection-risks#user-linked-detections
3. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=47594

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.7 Centralize Access Control

v8 Centralize access control for all enterprise assets through a directory ● ●
service or SSO provider, where supported.

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

Page 174
5.2 Protection

5.2.1 Identity Protection

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 175
5.2.2 Conditional Access

Page 176
5.2.2.1 (L1) Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all
users in administrative roles (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Multifactor authentication is a process that requires an additional form of identification
during the sign-in process, such as a code from a mobile device or a fingerprint scan, to
enhance security.
Ensure users in administrator roles have MFA capabilities enabled.
Rationale:
Multifactor authentication requires an individual to present a minimum of two separate
forms of authentication before access is granted. Multifactor authentication provides
additional assurance that the individual attempting to gain access is who they claim to
be. With multifactor authentication, an attacker would need to compromise at least two
different authentication mechanisms, increasing the difficulty of compromise and thus
reducing the risk.
Impact:
Implementation of multifactor authentication for all users in administrative roles will
necessitate a change to user routine. All users in administrative roles will be required to
enroll in multifactor authentication using phone, SMS, or an authentication application.
After enrollment, use of multifactor authentication will be required for future access to
the environment.

Page 177
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Review the list of policies and ensure that there is a policy meeting at least the
following criteria:
o Users: Include: Directory roles specific to administrators are selected.
o Target resources: All cloud apps.
o Grant: Grant access with Require multifactor authentication checked.
4. Ensure Enable policy is set to On.

To audit using SecureScore:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Select Secure score.
3. Select Recommended actions.
4. Click on Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all users in
administrative roles.
5. Review the number of Admin users who do not have MFA configured.

This information is also available via the Microsoft Graph Security API:
GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/security/secureScores
Note: A list of required Directory roles can be found in the Remediation section.

Page 178
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Click New policy.
4. Go to Assignments > Users and groups > Include > Select users and groups >
check Directory roles.
5. At a minimum, select the Directory roles listed below in this section of the
document.
6. Go to Cloud apps or actions > Cloud apps > Include > select All cloud apps
(and don't exclude any apps).
7. Under Access controls > Grant > select Grant access > check Require multi-
factor authentication.
8. Set Enable policy to Report-only or On.
9. Create.

At minimum these directory roles should be included for MFA:

• Application administrator
• Authentication administrator
• Billing administrator
• Cloud application administrator
• Conditional Access administrator
• Exchange administrator
• Global administrator
• Global reader
• Helpdesk administrator
• Password administrator
• Privileged authentication administrator
• Privileged role administrator
• Security administrator
• SharePoint administrator
• User administrator

Note: Report-only is an acceptable first stage when introducing any CA policy. The
control, however, is not complete until the policy is on.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/security-api-
overview?view=graph-rest-beta

Page 179
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.5 Require MFA for Administrative Access

v8 Require MFA for all administrative access accounts, where supported, on all ● ● ●
enterprise assets, whether managed on-site or through a third-party provider.

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

Page 180
5.2.2.2 (L1) Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all
users (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Enable multifactor authentication for all users in the Microsoft 365 tenant. Users will be
prompted to authenticate with a second factor upon logging in to Microsoft 365 services.
The second factor is most commonly a text message to a registered mobile phone
number where they type in an authorization code, or with a mobile application like
Microsoft Authenticator.
Rationale:
Multifactor authentication requires an individual to present a minimum of two separate
forms of authentication before access is granted. Multifactor authentication provides
additional assurance that the individual attempting to gain access is who they claim to
be. With multifactor authentication, an attacker would need to compromise at least two
different authentication mechanisms, increasing the difficulty of compromise and thus
reducing the risk.
Impact:
Implementation of multifactor authentication for all users will necessitate a change to
user routine. All users will be required to enroll in multifactor authentication using phone,
SMS, or an authentication application. After enrollment, use of multifactor authentication
will be required for future authentication to the environment.
Note: Organizations that have difficulty enforcing MFA globally due lack of the budget to
provide company owned mobile devices to every user, or equally are unable to force
end users to use their personal devices due to regulations, unions, or policy have
another option. FIDO2 Security keys may be used as a stand in for this
recommendation. They are more secure, phishing resistant, and are affordable for an
organization to issue to every end user.

Page 181
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Review the list of policies and ensure that there is a policy meeting at least the
following criteria:
o Users: Include: All users.
o Target resources: All cloud apps.
o Grant: Grant access with Require multifactor authentication checked.
4. Ensure Enable policy is set to On.

To audit using SecureScore:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com.

2. Select Secure score.
3. Select Recommended actions.
4. Click on Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all users.
5. Review the list of users who do not have MFA configured.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Click New policy.
4. Go to Assignments > Users and groups > Include > select All users (and do not
exclude any user).
5. Select Cloud apps or actions > All cloud apps (and don't exclude any apps).
6. Access Controls > Grant > Require multi-factor authentication.
7. Set Enable policy to Report-only or On.
8. Create.

Note: Report-only is an acceptable first stage when introducing any CA policy. The
control, however, is not complete until the policy is on.
Default Value:
Disabled
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-
access/howto-conditional-access-policy-all-users-mfa

Page 182
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.3 Require MFA for Externally-Exposed Applications

v8 Require all externally-exposed enterprise or third-party applications to enforce
MFA, where supported. Enforcing MFA through a directory service or SSO
● ●
provider is a satisfactory implementation of this Safeguard.

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

Page 183
5.2.2.3 (L1) Enable Conditional Access policies to block legacy
authentication (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Entra ID supports the most widely used authentication and authorization protocols
including legacy authentication. This authentication pattern includes basic
authentication, a widely used industry-standard method for collecting username and
password information.
The following messaging protocols support legacy authentication:

• Authenticated SMTP - Used to send authenticated email messages.

• Autodiscover - Used by Outlook and EAS clients to find and connect to
mailboxes in Exchange Online.
• Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) - Used to connect to mailboxes in Exchange Online.
• Exchange Online PowerShell - Used to connect to Exchange Online with remote
PowerShell. If you block Basic authentication for Exchange Online PowerShell,
you need to use the Exchange Online PowerShell Module to connect. For
instructions, see Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell using multifactor
authentication.
• Exchange Web Services (EWS) - A programming interface that's used by
Outlook, Outlook for Mac, and third-party apps.
• IMAP4 - Used by IMAP email clients.
• MAPI over HTTP (MAPI/HTTP) - Primary mailbox access protocol used by
Outlook 2010 SP2 and later.
• Offline Address Book (OAB) - A copy of address list collections that are
downloaded and used by Outlook.
• Outlook Anywhere (RPC over HTTP) - Legacy mailbox access protocol
supported by all current Outlook versions.
• POP3 - Used by POP email clients.
• Reporting Web Services - Used to retrieve report data in Exchange Online.
• Universal Outlook - Used by the Mail and Calendar app for Windows 10.
• Other clients - Other protocols identified as utilizing legacy authentication.

Rationale:
Legacy authentication protocols do not support multi-factor authentication. These
protocols are often used by attackers because of this deficiency. Blocking legacy
authentication makes it harder for attackers to gain access.

Page 184
NOTE: As of October 2022 Microsoft began disabling basic authentication in all tenants,
except for those who requested special exceptions it should no longer be available in
most tenants beyond Dec 31, 2022. Despite this CIS recommends the CA policy to
remain in place to act as a defense in depth measure.
Impact:
Enabling this setting will prevent users from connecting with older versions of Office,
ActiveSync or using protocols like IMAP, POP or SMTP and may require upgrades to
older versions of Office, and use of mobile mail clients that support modern
authentication.
This will also cause multifunction devices such as printers from using scan to e-mail
function if they are using a legacy authentication method. Microsoft has mail flow best
practices in the link below which can be used to configure a MFP to work with modern
authentication:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/mail-flow-best-practices/how-to-set-up-a-
multifunction-device-or-application-to-send-email-using-microsoft-365-or-office-365
Audit:
Ensure a Conditional Access policy to block legacy authentication is enabled:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Verify that either the policy Baseline policy: Block legacy authentication is
set to On or find another with the following settings enabled:
o Under Conditions then Client apps ensure the settings are enabled for
and Exchange ActiveSync clients and other clients.
o Under Access controls ensure the Grant is set to Block access
o Under Assignments ensure All users is enabled
o Under Assignments and Users and groups ensure the Exclude is set to
least one low risk account or directory role. This is required as a best
practice.

This information is also available via the Microsoft Graph Security API:
GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/security/secureScores

Page 185
Remediation:
To setup a conditional access policy to block legacy authentication, use the
following steps:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Create a new policy by selecting New policy.
4. Set the following conditions within the policy.
o Select Conditions then Client apps enable the settings for and Exchange
ActiveSync clients and other clients.
o Under Access controls set the Grant section to Block access
o Under Assignments enable All users
o Under Assignments and Users and groups set the Exclude to be at least
one low risk account or directory role. This is required as a best practice.

Default Value:
Basic authentication is disabled by default as of January 2023.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-
online/disable-basic-authentication-in-exchange-online
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/mail-flow-best-practices/how-to-set-
up-a-multifunction-device-or-application-to-send-email-using-microsoft-365-or-
office-365
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-
online/deprecation-of-basic-authentication-exchange-online

Page 186
Additional Information:
NOTE: For more granularity the following Audit/Remediation procedure could be
utilized.
AUDIT
To verify basic authentication is disabled, use the Exchange Online PowerShell
Module:

1. Run the Microsoft Exchange Online PowerShell Module.

2. Connect using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-OrganizationConfig | Select-Object -ExpandProperty

DefaultAuthenticationPolicy | ForEach { Get-AuthenticationPolicy $_ | Select-
Object AllowBasicAuth* }

4. Verify each of the basic authentication types is set to false. If no results are
shown or an error is displayed, then no default authentication policy has been
defined for your organization.
5. Verify Exchange Online users are configured to use the appropriate
authentication policy (in this case Block Basic Auth) by running the following
PowerShell command:

Get-User -ResultSize Unlimited | Select-Object UserPrincipalName,

AuthenticationPolicy

Page 187
REMEDIATION
To disable basic authentication, use the Exchange Online PowerShell Module:

1. Run the Microsoft Exchange Online PowerShell Module.

2. Connect using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. Run the following PowerShell command:

*Note: If a policy exists and a command fails you may run Remove-
AuthenticationPolicy first to ensure policy creation/application occurs as expected.

$AuthenticationPolicy = Get-OrganizationConfig | Select-Object

DefaultAuthenticationPolicy

If (-not $AuthenticationPolicy.Identity) {
$AuthenticationPolicy = New-AuthenticationPolicy "Block Basic Auth"
Set-OrganizationConfig -DefaultAuthenticationPolicy
$AuthenticationPolicy.Identity
}

Set-AuthenticationPolicy -Identity $AuthenticationPolicy.Identity -

AllowBasicAuthActiveSync:$false -AllowBasicAuthAutodiscover:$false -
AllowBasicAuthImap:$false -AllowBasicAuthMapi:$false -
AllowBasicAuthOfflineAddressBook:$false -AllowBasicAuthOutlookService:$false
-AllowBasicAuthPop:$false -AllowBasicAuthPowershell:$false -
AllowBasicAuthReportingWebServices:$false -AllowBasicAuthRpc:$false -
AllowBasicAuthSmtp:$false -AllowBasicAuthWebServices:$false

Get-User -ResultSize Unlimited | ForEach-Object { Set-User -Identity

$_.Identity -AuthenticationPolicy $AuthenticationPolicy.Identity -
STSRefreshTokensValidFrom $([System.DateTime]::UtcNow) }

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

Page 188
5.2.2.4 (L1) Ensure Sign-in frequency is enabled and browser
sessions are not persistent for Administrative users (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
In complex deployments, organizations might have a need to restrict authentication
sessions. Conditional Access policies allow for the targeting of specific user accounts.
Some scenarios might include:

• Resource access from an unmanaged or shared device

• Access to sensitive information from an external network
• High-privileged users
• Business-critical applications

Ensure Sign-in frequency does not exceed 4 hours for E3 tenants, or 24 hours for E5
tenants using Privileged Identity Management.
Ensure Persistent browser session is set to Never persist
NOTE: This CA policy can be added to the previous CA policy in this benchmark
"Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all users in administrative roles"
Rationale:
Forcing a time out for MFA will help ensure that sessions are not kept alive for an
indefinite period of time, ensuring that browser sessions are not persistent will help in
prevention of drive-by attacks in web browsers, this also prevents creation and saving of
session cookies leaving nothing for an attacker to take.
Impact:
Users with Administrative roles will be prompted at the frequency set for MFA.

Page 189
Audit:
Ensure Sign-in frequency is enabled and browser sessions are not persistent for
Administrative users:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection > Conditional Access Select Policies.
3. Review the list of policies and ensure that there is a policy that have Sign-in
frequency set to the time determined by your organization and that Persistent
browser session is set to Never persistent.
4. Ensure Sign-in frequency does not exceed 4 hours for E3 tenants. E5 tenants
using PIM may be set to a maximum of 24 hours.

• A list of directory role applying to Administrators can be found in the

remediation section.

Page 190
Remediation:
To configure Sign-in frequency and browser sessions persistence for
Administrative users:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection > Conditional Access Select Policies.
3. Click New policy
4. Click Users and groups
5. Under Include select Select users and groups and then select Directory
roles.
6. At a minimum, select the roles in the section below.
7. Go to Cloud apps or actions > Cloud apps > Include > select All cloud apps
(and don't exclude any apps).
8. Under Access controls > Grant > select Grant access > check Require multi-
factor authentication (and nothing else).
9. Under Session select Sign-in frequency and set to at most 4 hours for E3
tenants. E5 tenants with PIM can be set to a maximum value of 24 hours.
10. Check Persistent browser session then select Never persistent in the drop-
down menu.
11. For Enable Policy select On and click Save

At minimum these directory roles should be included for MFA:

• Application administrator
• Authentication administrator
• Billing administrator
• Cloud application administrator
• Conditional Access administrator
• Exchange administrator
• Global administrator
• Global reader
• Helpdesk administrator
• Password administrator
• Privileged authentication administrator
• Privileged role administrator
• Security administrator
• SharePoint administrator
• User administrator

Default Value:
The default configuration for user sign-in frequency is a rolling window of 90 days.

Page 191
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-
access/howto-conditional-access-session-lifetime

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.3 Configure Automatic Session Locking on Enterprise

Assets
v8 Configure automatic session locking on enterprise assets after a defined period ● ● ●
of inactivity. For general purpose operating systems, the period must not exceed
15 minutes. For mobile end-user devices, the period must not exceed 2 minutes.

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

Page 192
5.2.2.5 (L2) Ensure 'Phishing-resistant MFA strength' is required
for Administrators (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Authentication strength is a Conditional Access control that allows administrators to
specify which combination of authentication methods can be used to access a resource.
For example, they can make only phishing-resistant authentication methods available to
access a sensitive resource. But to access a non-sensitive resource, they can allow less
secure multifactor authentication (MFA) combinations, such as password + SMS.
Microsoft has 3 built-in authentication strengths. MFA strength, Passwordless MFA
strength, and Phishing-resistant MFA strength. Ensure administrator roles are using a
CA policy with Phishing-resistant MFA strength.
Administrators can then enroll using one of 3 methods:

• FIDO2 Security Key

• Windows Hello for Business
• Certificate-based authentication (Multi-Factor)

Note: Additional steps to configure methods such as FIDO2 keys are not covered here
but can be found in related MS articles in the references section. The Conditional
Access policy only ensures 1 of the 3 methods is used.
Warning: Administrators should be pre-registered for a strong authentication
mechanism before this Conditional Access Policy is enforced. Additionally, as stated
elsewhere in the CIS Benchmark a break-glass administrator account should be
excluded from this policy to ensure unfettered access in the case of an emergency.
Rationale:
Sophisticated attacks targeting MFA are more prevalent as the use of it becomes more
widespread. These 3 methods are considered phishing-resistant as they remove
passwords from the login workflow. It also ensures that public/private key exchange can
only happen between the devices and a registered provider which prevents login to fake
or phishing websites.

Page 193
Impact:
If administrators aren't pre-registered for a strong authentication method prior to a
conditional access policy being created, then a condition could occur where a user can't
register for strong authentication because they don't meet the conditional access policy
requirements and therefore are prevented from signing in.
Additionally, Internet Explorer based credential prompts in PowerShell do not support
prompting for a security key. Implementing phishing-resistant MFA with a security key
may prevent admins from running their existing sets of PowerShell scripts. Device
Authorization Grant Flow can be used as a workaround in some instances.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Review the list of policies and ensure that there is a policy with the Grant access
control set to Require authentication strength (Preview): Phishing-
resistant MFA
4. Ensure the above policy conforms to these settings:
o Users > Include > Select users and groups > Directory Roles to include
at minimum the roles listed in the remediation section.
o Cloud apps or actions > All cloud apps
o Grant > Grant Access with Require authentication strength (Preview):
Phishing-resistant MFA set.
5. The policy is set to On.

Page 194
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Click New policy.
4. Go to Users > Users and groups > Include > Select users and groups >
Directory roles
5. Add at least the Directory roles listed after these steps.
6. Select Cloud apps or actions > All cloud apps (and don't exclude any apps).
7. Grant > Grant Access with Require authentication strength (Preview):
Phishing-resistant MFA
8. Click `Select'
9. Set Enable policy to Report-only and click Create

At minimum these directory roles should be included for the policy:

• Application administrator
• Authentication administrator
• Billing administrator
• Cloud application administrator
• Conditional Access administrator
• Exchange administrator
• Global administrator
• Global reader
• Helpdesk administrator
• Password administrator
• Privileged authentication administrator
• Privileged role administrator
• Security administrator
• SharePoint administrator
• User administrator

Warning: Ensure administrators are pre-registered with strong authentication before

enforcing the policy. After which the policy must be set to On.

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-
authentication-passwordless#fido2-security-keys
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-
authentication-passwordless-security-key
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-
authentication-strengths
4. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-protection/howto-
identity-protection-configure-mfa-policy

Page 195
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.5 Require MFA for Administrative Access

v8 Require MFA for all administrative access accounts, where supported, on all ● ● ●
enterprise assets, whether managed on-site or through a third-party provider.

Page 196
5.2.2.6 (L2) Enable Azure AD Identity Protection user risk policies
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft Entra ID Protection user risk policies detect the probability that a user account
has been compromised.
Note: While Identity Protection also provides two risk policies with limited conditions,
Microsoft highly recommends setting up risk-based policies in Conditional Access as
opposed to the "legacy method" for the following benefits:

• Enhanced diagnostic data

• Report-only mode integration
• Graph API support
• Use more Conditional Access attributes like sign-in frequency in the policy

Rationale:
With the user risk policy turned on, Entra ID protection detects the probability that a user
account has been compromised. Administrators can configure a user risk conditional
access policy to automatically respond to a specific user risk level.
Impact:
Upon policy activation, account access will be either blocked or the user will be required
to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) and change their password. Users without
registered MFA will be denied access, necessitating an admin to recover the account.
To avoid inconvenience, it is advised to configure the MFA registration policy for all
users under the User Risk policy.
Additionally, users identified in the Risky Users section will be affected by this policy. To
gain a better understanding of the impact on the organization's environment, the list of
Risky Users should be reviewed before enforcing the policy.

Page 197
Audit:
Ensure a user risk policy is enabled:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Ensure that a policy exist with the following characteristics and is set to On:
o Under Users or workload identities choose All users
o Under Cloud apps or actions choose All cloud apps
o Under Conditions choose User risk then Yes is set to High.
o Under Access Controls select Grant then in the right pane click Grant
access, then select Require multifactor authentication and Require
password change.
o Under Session ensure Sign-in frequency is set to Every time.

Remediation:
To configure a User risk policy, use the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Create a new policy by selecting New policy.
4. Set the following conditions within the policy:
o Under Users or workload identities choose All users
o Under Cloud apps or actions choose All cloud apps
o Under Conditions choose User risk then Yes and select the user risk
level High.
o Under Access Controls select Grant then in the right pane click Grant
access then select Require multifactor authentication and Require
password change.
o Under Session ensure Sign-in frequency is set to Every time.
5. Click Select.
6. You may opt to begin in a state of Report Only as you step through
implementation however, the policy will need to be set to On to be in effect.
7. Click Create.

NOTE: for more information regarding risk levels refer to Microsoft's Identity Protection
& Risk Doc
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-protection/howto-
identity-protection-risk-feedback
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-
protection/concept-identity-protection-risks

Page 198
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

13.3 Deploy a Network Intrusion Detection Solution

v8 Deploy a network intrusion detection solution on enterprise assets, where
appropriate. Example implementations include the use of a Network Intrusion
● ●
Detection System (NIDS) or equivalent cloud service provider (CSP) service.

16.13 Alert on Account Login Behavior Deviation

v7 Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day, ●
workstation location and duration.

Page 199
5.2.2.7 (L2) Enable Azure AD Identity Protection sign-in risk
policies (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft Entra ID Protection sign-in risk detects risks in real-time and offline. A risky
sign-in is an indicator for a sign-in attempt that might not have been performed by the
legitimate owner of a user account.
Note: While Identity Protection also provides two risk policies with limited conditions,
Microsoft highly recommends setting up risk-based policies in Conditional Access as
opposed to the "legacy method" for the following benefits:

• Enhanced diagnostic data

• Report-only mode integration
• Graph API support
• Use more Conditional Access attributes like sign-in frequency in the policy

Rationale:
Turning on the sign-in risk policy ensures that suspicious sign-ins are challenged for
multi-factor authentication.
Impact:
When the policy triggers, the user will need MFA to access the account. In the case of a
user who hasn't registered MFA on their account, they would be blocked from accessing
their account. It is therefore recommended that the MFA registration policy be
configured for all users who are a part of the Sign-in Risk policy.
Audit:
To ensure Sign-In a risk policy is enabled:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Ensure that a policy exist with the following characteristics and is set to On:
o Under Users or workload identities choose All users
o Under Cloud apps or actions choose All cloud apps
o Under Conditions choose Sign-in risk then Yes ensuring High and
Medium are selected.
o Under Access Controls select Grant then in the right pane click Grant
access then select Require multifactor authentication.
o Under Session select Sign-in Frequency is set to Every time.

Page 200
Remediation:
To configure a Sign-In risk policy, use the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Create a new policy by selecting New policy.
4. Set the following conditions within the policy.
o Under Users or workload identities choose All users
o Under Cloud apps or actions choose All cloud apps
o Under Conditions choose Sign-in risk then Yes and check the risk level
boxes High and Medium
o Under Access Controls select Grant then in the right pane click Grant
access then select Require multifactor authentication.
o Under Session select Sign-in Frequency and set to Every time.
5. Click Select
6. You may opt to begin in a state of Report Only as you step through
implementation however, the policy will need to be set to On to be in effect.
7. Click Create.

NOTE: for more information regarding risk levels refer to Microsoft's Identity Protection
& Risk Doc
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-protection/howto-
identity-protection-risk-feedback
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-
protection/concept-identity-protection-risks

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

13.3 Deploy a Network Intrusion Detection Solution

v8 Deploy a network intrusion detection solution on enterprise assets, where
appropriate. Example implementations include the use of a Network Intrusion
● ●
Detection System (NIDS) or equivalent cloud service provider (CSP) service.

16.13 Alert on Account Login Behavior Deviation

v7 Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day, ●
workstation location and duration.

Page 201
5.2.2.8 (L1) Ensure admin center access is limited to
administrative roles (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
When a Conditional Access policy targets the Microsoft Admin Portals cloud app, the
policy is enforced for tokens issued to application IDs of the following Microsoft
administrative portals:

• Azure portal
• Exchange admin center
• Microsoft 365 admin center
• Microsoft 365 Defender portal
• Microsoft Entra admin center
• Microsoft Intune admin center
• Microsoft Purview compliance portal
• Power Platform admin center
• SharePoint admin center
• Microsoft Teams admin center

Microsoft Admin Portals should be restricted to specific pre-determined administrative

roles.
Rationale:
By default, users can sign into the various portals but are restricted by what they can
view. Blocking sign-in to Microsoft Admin Portals enhances security of sensitive data by
restricting access to privileged users. This mitigates potential exposure due to
administrative errors or software vulnerabilities introduced by a CSP, as well as acting
as a defense in depth measure against security breaches.
Impact:
PIM functionality will be impacted unless non-privileged users are first assigned to a
permanent group or role that is excluded from this policy. When attempting to checkout
a role in the Entra ID PIM area they will receive the message "You don't have access to
this Your sign-in was successful but you don't have permission to access this resource."

Page 202
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Inspect and identify existing policies for the parameters below:
o Users set to Include All Users
o Users > Exclude Verify Guest or external users and Users and groups
contain only a group of PIM eligible users.
o Users > Exclude Verify Directory Roles only contains administrative
roles. See below for details on roles.
o Target resources Cloud apps Includes Select apps Microsoft Admin
Portals.
o Grant is equal to Block Access
o Enable policy is set to On
4. If any of these conditions are not met, then the audit fails.

Directory Roles and Exclusions

In Directory roles > Exclude the role Global Administrator at a minimum should be
selected to avoid I.T. being locked out. The organization should pre-determine roles in
the exclusion list as there is not a one size fits all. Auditors and system administrators
should exercise due diligence balancing operation while exercising least privilege. As
the size of the organization increases so will the number of roles being utilized.

A an example starting list of Administrator roles can be found under Additional

Information

Note: In order for PIM to function a group of users eligible for PIM roles must be
excluded from the policy.

Page 203
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection > Conditional Access select Policies.
3. Click New Policy and then name the policy.
4. Select Users > Include > All Users
5. Select Users > Exclude > Directory roles and select only administrative roles
and a group of PIM eligible users.
6. Select Target resources select Cloud apps > Select apps then select Microsoft
Admin Portals on the right.
7. Confirm by clicking Select.
8. Select Grant > Block access and click Select.
9. Ensure Enable Policy is On or Report-only then click Create.

Warning: Exclude Global Administrator at a minimum to avoid being locked out.

Report-only is a good option to use when testing any Conditional Access policy for the
first time.

Note: In order for PIM to function a group of users eligible for PIM roles must be
excluded from the policy.
Default Value:
No - Non-administrators can access the Microsoft admin portals.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/conditional-access/concept-
conditional-access-cloud-apps#microsoft-admin-portals

Page 204
Additional Information:
Below is an example list of Administrator roles that could be excluded

• Application administrator
• Authentication administrator
• Billing administrator
• Cloud application administrator
• Conditional Access administrator
• Exchange administrator
• Global administrator
• Global reader
• Helpdesk administrator
• Password administrator
• Privileged authentication administrator
• Privileged role administrator
• Security administrator
• SharePoint administrator
• User administrator

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 205
5.2.3 Authentication Methods

Page 206
5.2.3.1 (L1) Ensure Microsoft Authenticator is configured to
protect against MFA fatigue (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Microsoft has released additional settings to enhance the configuration of the Microsoft
Authenticator application. These settings provide additional information and context to
users who receive MFA passwordless and push requests, such as geographic location
the request came from, the requesting application and requiring a number match.
Ensure the following are Enabled.

• Require number matching for push notifications

• Show application name in push and passwordless notifications
• Show geographic location in push and passwordless notifications

NOTE: On February 27, 2023 Microsoft started enforcing number matching tenant-wide
for all users using Microsoft Authenticator.
Rationale:
As the use of strong authentication has become more widespread, attackers have
started to exploit the tendency of users to experience "MFA fatigue." This occurs when
users are repeatedly asked to provide additional forms of identification, leading them to
eventually approve requests without fully verifying the source. To counteract this,
number matching can be employed to ensure the security of the authentication process.
With this method, users are prompted to confirm a number displayed on their original
device and enter it into the device being used for MFA. Additionally, other information
such as geolocation and application details are displayed to enhance the end user's
awareness. Among these 3 options, number matching provides the strongest net
security gain.
Impact:
Additional interaction will be required by end users using number matching as opposed
to simply pressing "Approve" for login attempts.

Page 207
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Protection > Authentication methods select Policies.
3. Under Method select Microsoft Authenticator.
4. Under Enable and Target verify the setting is set to Enable.
5. In the Include tab ensure All users is selected.
6. In the Exclude tab ensure only valid groups are present (i.e. Break Glass
accounts).
7. Select Configure
8. Verify the following Microsoft Authenticator settings:
o Require number matching for push notifications Status is set to
Enabled, Target All users
o Show application name in push and passwordless notifications is set
to Enabled, Target All users
o Show geographic location in push and passwordless notifications is
set to Enabled, Target All users
9. In each setting select Exclude and verify only groups are present (i.e. Break
Glass accounts).

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Protection > Authentication methods select Policies.
3. Select Microsoft Authenticator
4. Under Enable and Target ensure the setting is set to Enable.
5. Select Configure
6. Set the following Microsoft Authenticator settings:
o Require number matching for push notifications Status is set to
Enabled, Target All users
o Show application name in push and passwordless notifications is set
to Enabled, Target All users
o Show geographic location in push and passwordless notifications is
set to Enabled, Target All users

Note: Valid groups such as break glass accounts can be excluded per organization
policy.
Default Value:
Microsoft-managed

Page 208
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-
authentication-default-enablement
2. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-azure-ad-blog/defend-
your-users-from-mfa-fatigue-attacks/ba-p/2365677
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/how-to-
mfa-number-match

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 6.4 Require MFA for Remote Network Access ● ● ●

Require MFA for remote network access.

Page 209
5.2.3.2 (L1) Ensure custom banned passwords lists are used
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
With Entra Password Protection, default global banned password lists are automatically
applied to all users in an Entra ID tenant. To support business and security needs,
custom banned password lists can be defined. When users change or reset their
passwords, these banned password lists are checked to enforce the use of strong
passwords.
A custom banned password list should include some of the following examples:

• Brand names
• Product names
• Locations, such as company headquarters
• Company-specific internal terms
• Abbreviations that have specific company meaning

Rationale:
Creating a new password can be difficult regardless of one's technical background. It is
common to look around one's environment for suggestions when building a password,
however, this may include picking words specific to the organization as inspiration for a
password. An adversary may employ what is called a 'mangler' to create permutations
of these specific words in an attempt to crack passwords or hashes making it easier to
reach their goal.
Impact:
If a custom banned password list includes too many common dictionary words, or short
words that are part of compound words, then perfectly secure passwords may be
blocked. The organization should consider a balance between security and usability
when creating a list.

Page 210
Audit:
Ensure a custom banned password list is in place:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Protection > Authentication methods
3. Select Password protection
4. Verify Enforce custom list is set to Yes
5. Verify Custom banned password list contains entries specific to the organization
or matches a pre-determined list.

Remediation:
Create a custom banned password list:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Protection > Authentication methods
3. Select Password protection
4. Set Enforce custom list to Yes
5. In Custom banned password list create a list using suggestions outlined in this
document.
6. Click Save

NOTE: Below is a list of examples that can be used as a starting place. The references
section contains more suggestions.

• Brand names
• Product names
• Locations, such as company headquarters
• Company-specific internal terms
• Abbreviations that have specific company meaning

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-
password-ban-bad#custom-banned-password-list
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/tutorial-
configure-custom-password-protection

Page 211
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 Use unique passwords for all enterprise assets. Best practice implementation
includes, at a minimum, an 8-character password for accounts using MFA and a
● ● ●
14-character password for accounts not using MFA.

Page 212
5.2.3.3 (L1) Ensure password protection is enabled for on-prem
Active Directory (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Microsoft Entra Password Protection provides a global and custom banned password
list. A password change request fails if there's a match in these banned password list.
To protect on-premises Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) environment, install
and configure Entra Password Protection.
Note: This recommendation applies to Hybrid deployments only and will have no impact
unless working with on-premises Active Directory.
Rationale:
This feature protects an organization by prohibiting the use of weak or leaked
passwords. In addition, organizations can create custom banned password lists to
prevent their users from using easily guessed passwords that are specific to their
industry. Deploying this feature to Active Directory will strengthen the passwords that
are used in the environment.
Impact:
The potential impact associated with implementation of this setting is dependent upon
the existing password policies in place in the environment. For environments that have
strong password policies in place, the impact will be minimal. For organizations that do
not have strong password policies in place, implementation of Microsoft Entra Password
Protection may require users to change passwords and adhere to more stringent
requirements than they have been accustomed to.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection select Authentication methods.
3. Select Password protection and ensure that Enable password protection on
Windows Server Active Directory is set to Yes and that Mode is set to Enforced.

Page 213
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

• Download and install the Azure AD Password Proxies and DC Agents from the
following location: https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=57071
After installed follow the steps below.

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection select Authentication methods.
3. Select Password protection and set Enable password protection on Windows
Server Active Directory to Yes and Mode to Enforced.

Default Value:
Enable - Yes
Mode - Audit
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-
password-ban-bad-on-premises-operations

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 Use unique passwords for all enterprise assets. Best practice implementation
includes, at a minimum, an 8-character password for accounts using MFA and a
● ● ●
14-character password for accounts not using MFA.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that
● ●
system.

Page 214
5.2.3.4 (L1) Ensure all member users are 'MFA capable' (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Microsoft defines Multifactor authentication capable as being registered and enabled for
a strong authentication method. The method must also be allowed by the authentication
methods policy.
Ensure all member users are MFA capable.

Rationale:
Multifactor authentication requires an individual to present a minimum of two separate
forms of authentication before access is granted.
Users who are not MFA Capable have never registered a strong authentication method
for multifactor authentication that is within policy and may not be using MFA. This could
be a result of having never signed in, exclusion from a Conditional Access (CA) policy
requiring MFA, or a CA policy does not exist. Reviewing this list of users will help
identify possible lapses in policy or procedure.
Impact:
When using the UI audit method guest users will appear in the report and unless the
organization is applying MFA rules to guests then they will need to be manually filtered.
Accounts that provide on-premises directory synchronization also appear in these
reports.

Page 215
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection select Authentication methods.
3. Select User registration details.
4. Set the filter option Multifactor authentication capable to Not Capable.
5. Review the non-guest users in this list.
6. Excluding any exceptions users found in this report may require remediation.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Graph using Connect-MgGraph -Scopes

"UserAuthenticationMethod.Read.All,AuditLog.Read.All"
2. Run the following:

Get-MgReportAuthenticationMethodUserRegistrationDetail `
-Filter "IsMfaCapable eq false and UserType eq 'Member'" |
ft UserPrincipalName,IsMfaCapable,IsAdmin

3. Ensure IsMfaCapable is set to True.

4. Excluding any exceptions users found in this report may require remediation.

Note: The CA rule must be in place for a successful deployment of Multifactor

Authentication. This policy is outlined in the conditional access section 5.2.2

Note 2: Possible exceptions include on-premises synchronization accounts.

Page 216
Remediation:
Remediation steps will depend on the status of the personnel in question or
configuration of Conditional Access policies and will not be covered in detail.
Administrators should review each user identified on a case-by-case basis using the
conditions below.

User has never signed on:

• Employment status should be reviewed, and appropriate action taken on the user
account's roles, licensing and enablement.

Conditional Access policy applicability:

• Ensure a CA policy is in place requiring all users to use MFA.

• Ensure the user is not excluded from the CA MFA policy.
• Ensure the policy's state is set to On.
• Use What if to determine applicable CA policies. (Protection > Conditional
Access > Policies)
• Review the user account in Sign-in logs. Under the Activity Details pane
click the Conditional Access tab to view applied policies.

Note: Conditional Access is covered step by step in section 5.2.2

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-
us/powershell/module/microsoft.graph.reports/update-
mgreportauthenticationmethoduserregistrationdetail?view=graph-powershell-
1.0#-ismfacapable
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/monitoring-health/how-to-view-
applied-conditional-access-policies
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/conditional-access/what-if-tool
4. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/howto-
authentication-methods-activity

Page 217
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.3 Require MFA for Externally-Exposed Applications

v8 Require all externally-exposed enterprise or third-party applications to enforce
MFA, where supported. Enforcing MFA through a directory service or SSO
● ●
provider is a satisfactory implementation of this Safeguard.

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

Page 218
5.2.4 Password reset

Page 219
5.2.4.1 (L1) Ensure 'Self service password reset enabled' is set to
'All' (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Enabling self-service password reset allows users to reset their own passwords in Entra
ID. When users sign in to Microsoft 365, they will be prompted to enter additional
contact information that will help them reset their password in the future. If combined
registration is enabled additional information, outside of multi-factor, will not be needed.
NOTE: Effective Oct. 1st, 2022, Microsoft will begin to enable combined registration for
all users in Entra ID tenants created before August 15th, 2020. Tenants created after
this date are enabled with combined registration by default.
Rationale:
Users will no longer need to engage the helpdesk for password resets, and the
password reset mechanism will automatically block common, easily guessable
passwords.
Impact:
Users will be required to provide additional contact information to enroll in self-service
password reset. Additionally, minor user education may be required for users that are
used to calling a help desk for assistance with password resets.
NOTE: This is unavailable if using Entra Connect / Sync in a hybrid environment.
Audit:
Ensure self-service password reset is enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection > Password reset select Properties.
3. Ensure Self service password reset enabled is set to All

Remediation:
To enable self-service password reset:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection > Password reset select Properties.
3. Set Self service password reset enabled to All

Page 220
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/let-users-reset-
passwords?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/tutorial-
enable-sspr
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-
registration-mfa-sspr-combined

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 221
5.2.4.2 (L1) Ensure the self-service password reset activity report
is reviewed at least weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The Microsoft 365 platform allows users to reset their password in the event they forget
it. The self-service password reset activity report logs each time a user successfully
resets their password this way. The self-service password reset activity report should be
reviewed at least weekly.
Rationale:
An attacker will commonly compromise an account, then change the password to
something they control and can manage.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review the self-service password reset activity report:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Protection > Password reset select Audit logs.
3. Review the list of users who have reset their passwords by setting the Date to
Last 7 days and Service to Self-service Password Management

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-
sspr-reporting
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-
directory/authentication/troubleshoot-sspr

Page 222
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 223
5.2.5 Custom security attributes

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 224
5.2.6 Risky activities

Page 225
5.2.6.1 (L1) Ensure the Azure AD 'Risky sign-ins' report is
reviewed at least weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
This report contains records of accounts that have had activity that could indicate they
are compromised, such as accounts that have:

• Successfully signed in after multiple failures, which is an indication that the

accounts have cracked passwords.
• Signed in to tenant from a client IP address that has been recognized by
Microsoft as an anonymous proxy IP address (such as a TOR network).
• Successful sign-ins from users where two sign-ins appeared to originate from
different regions and the time between sign-ins makes it impossible for the user
to have traveled between those regions.

Rationale:
Reviewing this report on a regular basis allows for identification and remediation of
compromised accounts.
Audit:
To verify the report is being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the necessary
procedures are in place and being followed.
Remediation:
To review the 'Risky sign-ins' report:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com.

2. Click expand Protection select Risky activities.
3. Under Report click on Risky sign-ins.
4. Review by Risk level (aggregate).

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-
protection/overview-identity-protection
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-protection/howto-
identity-protection-remediate-unblock

Page 226
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 227
5.3 Identity Governance

Page 228
5.3.1 (L2) Ensure 'Privileged Identity Management' is used to
manage roles (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management can be used to audit roles, allow just in
time activation of roles and allow for periodic role attestation. Organizations should
remove permanent members from privileged Office 365 roles and instead make them
eligible, through a JIT activation workflow.
Rationale:
Organizations want to minimize the number of people who have access to secure
information or resources, because that reduces the chance of a malicious actor getting
that access, or an authorized user inadvertently impacting a sensitive resource.
However, users still need to carry out privileged operations in Entra ID. Organizations
can give users just-in-time (JIT) privileged access to roles. There is a need for oversight
for what those users are doing with their administrator privileges. PIM helps to mitigate
the risk of excessive, unnecessary, or misused access rights.
Impact:
Implementation of Just in Time privileged access is likely to necessitate changes to
administrator routine. Administrators will only be granted access to administrative roles
when required. When administrators request role activation, they will need to document
the reason for requiring role access, anticipated time required to have the access, and
to reauthenticate to enable role access.

Page 229
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity Governance select Privileged Identity Management.
3. Select Microsoft Entra Roles.
4. Select Roles beneath Manage.
5. Inspect at a minimum the following sensitive roles to ensure the members are
Eligible and not Permanent:
Application Administrator
Authentication Administrator
Billing Administrator
Cloud Application Administrator
Cloud Device Administrator
Compliance Administrator
Customer LockBox Access Approver
Device Administrators
Exchange Administrators
Global Administrators
HelpDesk Administrator
Information Protection Administrator
Intune Service Administrator
Kaizala Administrator
License Administrator
Password Administrator
PowerBI Service Administrator
Privileged Authentication Administrator
Privileged Role Administrator
Security Administrator
SharePoint Service Administrator
Skype for Business Administrator
Teams Service Administrator
User Administrator

Page 230
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Identity Governance select Privileged Identity Management.
3. Select Microsoft Entra Roles.
4. Select Roles beneath Manage.
5. Inspect at a minimum the following sensitive roles. For each of the members that
have an ASSIGNMENT TYPE of Permanent, click on the ... and choose Make
eligible:
Application Administrator
Authentication Administrator
Billing Administrator
Cloud Application Administrator
Cloud Device Administrator
Compliance Administrator
Customer LockBox Access Approver
Device Administrators
Exchange Administrators
Global Administrators
HelpDesk Administrator
Information Protection Administrator
Intune Service Administrator
Kaizala Administrator
License Administrator
Password Administrator
PowerBI Service Administrator
Privileged Authentication Administrator
Privileged Role Administrator
Security Administrator
SharePoint Service Administrator
Skype for Business Administrator
Teams Service Administrator
User Administrator

Page 231
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.1 Establish an Access Granting Process

v8 Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for granting access to ● ● ●
enterprise assets upon new hire, rights grant, or role change of a user.

6.2 Establish an Access Revoking Process

Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for revoking access to
v8 enterprise assets, through disabling accounts immediately upon termination, rights ● ● ●
revocation, or role change of a user. Disabling accounts, instead of deleting
accounts, may be necessary to preserve audit trails.

4.1 Maintain Inventory of Administrative Accounts

v7 Use automated tools to inventory all administrative accounts, including domain
and local accounts, to ensure that only authorized individuals have elevated
● ●
privileges.

Page 232
5.3.2 (L1) Ensure 'Access reviews' for Guest Users are configured
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Access reviews enable administrators to establish an efficient automated process for
reviewing group memberships, access to enterprise applications, and role assignments.
These reviews can be scheduled to recur regularly, with flexible options for delegating
the task of reviewing membership to different members of the organization.
Ensure Access reviews for Guest Users are configured to be performed no less
frequently than monthly.

Rationale:
Access to groups and applications for guests can change over time. If a guest user's
access to a particular folder goes unnoticed, they may unintentionally gain access to
sensitive data if a member adds new files or data to the folder or application. Access
reviews can help reduce the risks associated with outdated assignments by requiring a
member of the organization to conduct the reviews. Furthermore, these reviews can
enable a fail-closed mechanism to remove access to the subject if the reviewer does not
respond to the review.
Impact:
Access reviews that are ignored may cause guest users to lose access to resources
temporarily.

Page 233
Audit:
Verify an access review for Guest Users is in place:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity Governance and select Access reviews
3. Inspect the access reviews, and ensure an access review is created with the
following criteria:
o Overview: Scope is set to Guest users only and status is Active
o Reviewers: Ensure appropriate reviewer(s) are designated.
o Settings > General: Mail notifications and Reminders are set to Enable
o Reviewers: Require reason on approval is set to Enable
o Scheduling: Frequency is Monthly or more frequent.
o When completed: Auto apply results to resource is set to Enable
o When completed: If reviewers don't respond is set to Remove access

Remediation:
Create an access review for Guest Users:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity Governance and select Access reviews
3. Click New access review.
4. Select what to review choose Teams + Groups.
5. Review Scope set to All Microsoft 365 groups with guest users, do not
exclude groups.
6. Scope set to Guest users only then click Next: Reviews.
7. Select reviewers an appropriate user that is NOT the guest user themselves.
8. Duration (in days) at most 3.
9. Review recurrence is Monthly or more frequent.
10. End is set to Never, then click Next: Settings.
11. Check Auto apply results to resource.
12. Set If reviewers don't respond to Remove access.
13. Check the following: Justification required, E-mail notifications,
Reminders.
14. Click Next: Review + Create and finally click Create.

Default Value:
By default access reviews are not configured.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/governance/create-
access-review
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/governance/access-
reviews-overview

Page 234
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.1 Establish and Maintain an Inventory of Accounts

Establish and maintain an inventory of all accounts managed in the enterprise.
v8 The inventory must include both user and administrator accounts. The inventory, at
a minimum, should contain the person’s name, username, start/stop dates, and
● ● ●
department. Validate that all active accounts are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum quarterly, or more frequently.

5.3 Disable Dormant Accounts

v8 Delete or disable any dormant accounts after a period of 45 days of inactivity, ● ● ●
where supported.

Page 235
5.3.3 (L1) Ensure 'Access reviews' for high privileged Azure AD
roles are configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Access reviews enable administrators to establish an efficient automated process for
reviewing group memberships, access to enterprise applications, and role assignments.
These reviews can be scheduled to recur regularly, with flexible options for delegating
the task of reviewing membership to different members of the organization.
Ensure Access reviews for high privileged Entra ID roles are done no less frequently
than weekly. These reviews should include at a minimum the roles listed below:

• Global Administrator
• Exchange Administrator
• SharePoint Administrator
• Teams Administrator
• Security Administrator

NOTE: An access review is created for each role selected after completing the process.
Rationale:
Regular review of critical high privileged roles in Entra ID will help identify role drift, or
potential malicious activity. This will enable the practice and application of "separation of
duties" where even non-privileged users like security auditors can be assigned to review
assigned roles in an organization. Furthermore, if configured these reviews can enable
a fail-closed mechanism to remove access to the subject if the reviewer does not
respond to the review.

Page 236
Audit:
Verify access reviews for high privileged roles is in place:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity Governance and select Privileged Identity
Management
3. Select Microsoft Entra Roles under Manage
4. Select Access reviews
5. Ensure there are access reviews configured for each high privileged roles and
each meets the criteria laid out below:
o Scope - Everyone
o Status - Active
o Reviewers - Role reviewers should be designated personnel. Preferably
not a self-review.
o Mail notifications - Enable
o Reminders - Enable
o Require reason on approval - Enable
o Frequency - Monthly or more frequent
o Duration (in days) - 4 at most
o Auto apply results to resource - Enable
o If reviewers don't respond - No change

Any remaining settings are discretionary.

NOTE: Reviewers will have the ability to revoke roles should be trusted individuals who
understand the impact of the access reviews. The principal of separation of duties
should be considered so that no one administrator is reviewing their own access levels.

NOTE2: The setting If reviewers don't respond is recommended to be set to Remove

access due to the potential of all Global Administrators being unassigned if the review is
not addressed.

Page 237
Remediation:
Create an access review for high privileged roles:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/

2. Click to expand Identity Governance and select Privileged Identity
Management
3. Select Microsoft Entra Roles under Manage
4. Select Access reviews and click New access review.
5. Provide a name and description.
6. Frequency set to Weekly or more frequent.
7. Duration (in days) is set to at most 3.
8. End set to Never.
9. Role select these roles: Global Administrator,Exchange
Administrator,SharePoint Administrator,Teams Administrator,Security
Administrator
10. Assignment type set to All active and eligible assignments.
11. Reviewers set to Selected user(s) or group(s)
12. Select reviewers are member(s) responsible for this type of review.
13. Auto apply results to resource set to Enable
14. If reviewers don't respond is set to No change
15. Show recommendations set to Enable
16. Require reason or approval set to Enable
17. Mail notifications set to Enable
18. Reminders set to Enable
19. Click Start to save the review.

NOTE: Reviewers will have the ability to revoke roles should be trusted individuals who
understand the impact of the access reviews. The principle of separation of duties
should be considered so that no one administrator is reviewing their own access levels.
Default Value:
By default access reviews are not configured.
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/privileged-identity-
management/pim-create-azure-ad-roles-and-resource-roles-review
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/governance/access-
reviews-overview

Page 238
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.1 Establish and Maintain an Inventory of Accounts

Establish and maintain an inventory of all accounts managed in the enterprise.
v8 The inventory must include both user and administrator accounts. The inventory, at
a minimum, should contain the person’s name, username, start/stop dates, and
● ● ●
department. Validate that all active accounts are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum quarterly, or more frequently.

5.3 Disable Dormant Accounts

v8 Delete or disable any dormant accounts after a period of 45 days of inactivity, ● ● ●
where supported.

Page 239
6 Exchange admin center
The Exchange admin center contains settings related to everything Exchange Online.
Direct link: https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com/
The PowerShell module most commonly used in this section is
ExchangeOnlineManagement and uses Connect-ExchangeOnline as the connection
cmdlet.
The latest version of the module can be downloaded here:
https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/ExchangeOnlineManagement/

Page 240
6.1 Audit

Page 241
6.1.1 (L1) Ensure 'AuditDisabled' organizationally is set to 'False'
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The value False indicates that mailbox auditing on by default is turned on for the
organization. Mailbox auditing on by default in the organization overrides the mailbox
auditing settings on individual mailboxes. For example, if mailbox auditing is turned off
for a mailbox (the AuditEnabled property on the mailbox is False), the default mailbox
actions are still audited for the mailbox, because mailbox auditing on by default is turned
on for the organization.
Turning off mailbox auditing on by default ($true) has the following results:

• Mailbox auditing is turned off for your organization.

• From the time you turn off mailbox auditing on by default, no mailbox actions are
audited, even if mailbox auditing is enabled on a mailbox (the AuditEnabled
property on the mailbox is True).
• Mailbox auditing isn't turned on for new mailboxes and setting the AuditEnabled
property on a new or existing mailbox to True is ignored.
• Any mailbox audit bypass association settings (configured by using the Set-
MailboxAuditBypassAssociation cmdlet) are ignored.
• Existing mailbox audit records are retained until the audit log age limit for the
record expires.

The recommended state for this setting is False at the organization level. This will
enable auditing and enforce the default.
Rationale:
Enforcing the default ensures auditing was not turned off intentionally or accidentally.
Auditing mailbox actions will allow forensics and IR teams to trace various malicious
activities that can generate TTPs caused by inbox access and tampering.
NOTE: Without advanced auditing (E5 function) the logs are limited to 90 days.
Impact:
None - this is the default behavior as of 2019.

Page 242
Audit:
Ensure mailbox auditing is enabled by default at the organizational level:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-OrganizationConfig | Format-List AuditDisabled

3. Ensure AuditDisabled is set to False.

Remediation:
Enable mailbox auditing at the organizational level:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-OrganizationConfig -AuditDisabled $false

Default Value:
False
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/audit-
mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-
organizationconfig?view=exchange-ps#-auditdisabled

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 243
6.1.2 (L1) Ensure mailbox auditing for E3 users is Enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Mailbox audit logging is turned on by default in all organizations. This effort started in
January 2019, and means that certain actions performed by mailbox owners, delegates,
and admins are automatically logged. The corresponding mailbox audit records are
available for admins to search in the mailbox audit log.
Mailboxes and shared mailboxes have actions assigned to them individually in order to
audit the data the organization determines valuable at the mailbox level.
The recommended state is AuditEnabled to True on all user mailboxes along with
additional audit actions beyond the Microsoft defaults.
Note: Due to some differences in defaults for audit actions this recommendation is
specific to users assigned an E3 license only.
Rationale:
Whether it is for regulatory compliance or for tracking unauthorized configuration
changes in Microsoft 365, enabling mailbox auditing, and ensuring the proper mailbox
actions are accounted for allows for Microsoft 365 teams to run security operations,
forensics or general investigations on mailbox activities.
The following mailbox types ignore the organizational default and must have
AuditEnabled set to True at the mailbox level in order to capture relevant audit data.

• Resource Mailboxes
• Public Folder Mailboxes
• DiscoverySearch Mailbox

Note: Without advanced auditing (E5 function) the logs are limited to 90 days.
Impact:
None - this is the default behavior.

Page 244
Audit:
To manually verify mailbox auditing is enabled and configured for all mailboxes:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell script:

$MailAudit = Get-EXOMailbox -PropertySets Audit -ResultSize Unlimited |

Select-Object UserPrincipalName, AuditEnabled, AuditAdmin, AuditDelegate,
AuditOwner

$MailAudit | Export-Csv -Path C:\CIS\AuditSettings.csv -NoTypeInformation

3. Analyze the output and verify AuditEnabled is set to True and all audit actions
are included in what is defined in the script in the remediation section.

Optionally, this more comprehensive script can assess each user mailbox:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following script:

Page 245
$AdminActions = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Copy", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete",
"Move", "MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs", "SendOnBehalf", "SoftDelete",
"Update", "UpdateCalendarDelegation", "UpdateFolderPermissions",
"UpdateInboxRules"
)

$DelegateActions = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete", "Move",
"MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs", "SendOnBehalf", "SoftDelete", "Update",
"UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$OwnerActions = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "HardDelete", "MailboxLogin", "Move",
"MoveToDeletedItems", "SoftDelete", "Update", "UpdateCalendarDelegation",
"UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

function VerifyActions {
param (
[string]$type,
[array]$actions,
[array]$auditProperty,
[string]$mailboxName
)

$missingActions = @()
$actionCount = 0

foreach ($action in $actions) {

if ($auditProperty -notcontains $action) {
$missingActions += " Failure: Audit action '$action' missing
from $type"
$actionCount++
}
}

if ($actionCount -eq 0) {
Write-Host "[$mailboxName]: $type actions are verified." -
ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host "[$mailboxName]: $type actions are not all verified." -
ForegroundColor Red
foreach ($missingAction in $missingActions) {
Write-Host " $missingAction" -ForegroundColor Red
}
}
}

$mailboxes = Get-EXOMailbox -PropertySets Audit,Minimum -ResultSize Unlimited

|
Where-Object { $_.RecipientTypeDetails -eq "UserMailbox" }

foreach ($mailbox in $mailboxes) {

Write-Host "--- Now assessing [$($mailbox.UserPrincipalName)] ---"

Page 246
 if ($mailbox.AuditEnabled) {
Write-Host "[$($mailbox.UserPrincipalName)]: AuditEnabled is true" -
ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host "[$($mailbox.UserPrincipalName)]: AuditEnabled is false" -
ForegroundColor Red
}

VerifyActions -type "AuditAdmin" -actions $AdminActions -auditProperty

$mailbox.AuditAdmin `
-mailboxName $mailbox.UserPrincipalName
VerifyActions -type "AuditDelegate" -actions $DelegateActions -
auditProperty $mailbox.AuditDelegate `
-mailboxName $mailbox.UserPrincipalName
VerifyActions -type "AuditOwner" -actions $OwnerActions -auditProperty
$mailbox.AuditOwner `
-mailboxName $mailbox.UserPrincipalName

Write-Host
}

Page 247
Remediation:
To enable mailbox auditing for all user mailboxes using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell script:

$AuditAdmin = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Copy", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete", "Move",
"MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs", "SendOnBehalf", "SoftDelete", "Update",
"UpdateCalendarDelegation", "UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$AuditDelegate = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete", "Move",
"MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs", "SendOnBehalf", "SoftDelete", "Update",
"UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$AuditOwner = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "HardDelete", "MailboxLogin", "Move",
"MoveToDeletedItems", "SoftDelete", "Update", "UpdateCalendarDelegation",
"UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$MBX = Get-EXOMailbox -ResultSize Unlimited | Where-Object {

$_.RecipientTypeDetails -eq "UserMailbox" }
$MBX | Set-Mailbox -AuditEnabled $true `
-AuditLogAgeLimit 90 -AuditAdmin $AuditAdmin -AuditDelegate $AuditDelegate `
-AuditOwner $AuditOwner

Default Value:
AuditEnabled: True for all mailboxes except below:

• Resource Mailboxes
• Public Folder Mailboxes
• DiscoverySearch Mailbox

AuditAdmin: ApplyRecord, Create, HardDelete, MoveToDeletedItems, SendAs,

SendOnBehalf, SoftDelete, Update, UpdateCalendarDelegation,
UpdateFolderPermissions, UpdateInboxRules
AuditDelegate: ApplyRecord, Create, HardDelete, MoveToDeletedItems, SendAs,
SendOnBehalf, SoftDelete, Update, UpdateFolderPermissions, UpdateInboxRules
AuditOwner: ApplyRecord, HardDelete, MoveToDeletedItems, SoftDelete, Update,
UpdateCalendarDelegation, UpdateFolderPermissions, UpdateInboxRules

Page 248
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/audit-
mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide

Additional Information:
Additional mailbox actions outside of the scope of this recommendations that can be
audited for with an E5 license include:

• MailItemsAccessed
• SearchQueryInitiated
• Send

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 249
6.1.3 (L1) Ensure mailbox auditing for E5 users is Enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 1
Description:
Mailbox audit logging is turned on by default in all organizations. This effort started in
January 2019, and means that certain actions performed by mailbox owners, delegates,
and admins are automatically logged. The corresponding mailbox audit records are
available for admins to search in the mailbox audit log.
Mailboxes and shared mailboxes have actions assigned to them individually in order to
audit the data the organization determines valuable at the mailbox level.
The recommended state is AuditEnabled to True on all user mailboxes along with
additional audit actions beyond the Microsoft defaults.
Note: Due to some differences in defaults for audit actions this recommendation is
specific to users assigned an E5 license, or auditing addon license, only.
Rationale:
Whether it is for regulatory compliance or for tracking unauthorized configuration
changes in Microsoft 365, enabling mailbox auditing and ensuring the proper mailbox
actions are accounted for allows for Microsoft 365 teams to run security operations,
forensics or general investigations on mailbox activities.
The following mailbox types ignore the organizational default and must have
AuditEnabled set to True at the mailbox level in order to capture relevant audit data.

• Resource Mailboxes
• Public Folder Mailboxes
• DiscoverySearch Mailbox

NOTE: Without advanced auditing (E5 function) the logs are limited to 90 days.
Impact:
None - this is the default behavior.

Page 250
Audit:
To manually verify mailbox auditing is enabled and configured for all mailboxes:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell script:

$MailAudit = Get-EXOMailbox -PropertySets Audit -ResultSize Unlimited |

Select-Object UserPrincipalName, AuditEnabled, AuditAdmin, AuditDelegate,
AuditOwner

$MailAudit | Export-Csv -Path C:\CIS\AuditSettings.csv -NoTypeInformation

3. Analyze the output and verify AuditEnabled is set to True and all audit actions
are included in what is defined in the script in the remediation section.

Optionally, this more comprehensive script can assess each user mailbox:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following script:

Page 251
$AdminActions = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Copy", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete",
"MailItemsAccessed", "Move", "MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs",
"SendOnBehalf", "Send", "SoftDelete", "Update",
"UpdateCalendarDelegation",
"UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$DelegateActions = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete", "Move",
"MailItemsAccessed", "MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs", "SendOnBehalf",
"SoftDelete", "Update", "UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$OwnerActions = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "HardDelete", "MailboxLogin", "Move",
"MailItemsAccessed", "MoveToDeletedItems", "Send", "SoftDelete",
"Update",
"UpdateCalendarDelegation", "UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

function VerifyActions {
param (
[string]$type,
[array]$actions,
[array]$auditProperty,
[string]$mailboxName
)

$missingActions = @()
$actionCount = 0

foreach ($action in $actions) {

if ($auditProperty -notcontains $action) {
$missingActions += " Failure: Audit action '$action' missing
from $type"
$actionCount++
}
}

if ($actionCount -eq 0) {
Write-Host "[$mailboxName]: $type actions are verified." -
ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host "[$mailboxName]: $type actions are not all verified." -
ForegroundColor Red
foreach ($missingAction in $missingActions) {
Write-Host " $missingAction" -ForegroundColor Red
}
}
}

$mailboxes = Get-EXOMailbox -PropertySets Audit,Minimum -ResultSize Unlimited

|
Where-Object { $_.RecipientTypeDetails -eq "UserMailbox" }

Page 252
foreach ($mailbox in $mailboxes) {
Write-Host "--- Now assessing [$($mailbox.UserPrincipalName)] ---"

if ($mailbox.AuditEnabled) {
Write-Host "[$($mailbox.UserPrincipalName)]: AuditEnabled is true" -
ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host "[$($mailbox.UserPrincipalName)]: AuditEnabled is false" -
ForegroundColor Red
}

VerifyActions -type "AuditAdmin" -actions $AdminActions -auditProperty

$mailbox.AuditAdmin `
-mailboxName $mailbox.UserPrincipalName
VerifyActions -type "AuditDelegate" -actions $DelegateActions -
auditProperty $mailbox.AuditDelegate `
-mailboxName $mailbox.UserPrincipalName
VerifyActions -type "AuditOwner" -actions $OwnerActions -auditProperty
$mailbox.AuditOwner `
-mailboxName $mailbox.UserPrincipalName

Write-Host
}
Note: In order for a mailbox to pass the above it must have an E5 or Microsoft Purview
Audit Premium addon license assigned to it. For the purposes of this recommendation
shared mailboxes are ignored.

Page 253
Remediation:
To enable mailbox auditing for all user mailboxes using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell script:

$AuditAdmin = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Copy", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete",
"MailItemsAccessed", "Move", "MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs",
"SendOnBehalf", "Send", "SoftDelete", "Update",
"UpdateCalendarDelegation",
"UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$AuditDelegate = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "FolderBind", "HardDelete", "Move",
"MailItemsAccessed", "MoveToDeletedItems", "SendAs", "SendOnBehalf",
"SoftDelete", "Update", "UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$AuditOwner = @(
"ApplyRecord", "Create", "HardDelete", "MailboxLogin", "Move",
"MailItemsAccessed", "MoveToDeletedItems", "Send", "SoftDelete",
"Update",
"UpdateCalendarDelegation", "UpdateFolderPermissions", "UpdateInboxRules"
)

$MBX = Get-EXOMailbox -ResultSize Unlimited | Where-Object {

$_.RecipientTypeDetails -eq "UserMailbox" }
$MBX | Set-Mailbox -AuditEnabled $true `
-AuditLogAgeLimit 180 -AuditAdmin $AuditAdmin -AuditDelegate $AuditDelegate `
-AuditOwner $AuditOwner
Note: When running this script mailboxes without an E5 or Azure Audit Premium license
applied will generate an error as they are not licensed for the additional actions which
come default with E5.

Page 254
Default Value:
AuditEnabled: True for all mailboxes except below:

• Resource Mailboxes
• Public Folder Mailboxes
• DiscoverySearch Mailbox

AuditAdmin: ApplyRecord, Create, HardDelete, MailItemsAccessed,

MoveToDeletedItems, Send, SendAs, SendOnBehalf, SoftDelete, Update,
UpdateCalendarDelegation, UpdateFolderPermissions, UpdateInboxRules
AuditDelegate: ApplyRecord, Create, HardDelete, MailItemsAccessed,
MoveToDeletedItems, SendAs, SendOnBehalf, SoftDelete, Update,
UpdateFolderPermissions, UpdateInboxRules
AuditOwner: ApplyRecord, HardDelete, MailItemsAccessed, MoveToDeletedItems,
Send, SoftDelete, Update, UpdateCalendarDelegation, UpdateFolderPermissions,
UpdateInboxRules
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/audit-
mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 255
6.1.4 (L1) Ensure 'AuditBypassEnabled' is not enabled on
mailboxes (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
When configuring a user or computer account to bypass mailbox audit logging, the
system will not record any access, or actions performed by the said user or computer
account on any mailbox. Administratively this was introduced to reduce the volume of
entries in the mailbox audit logs on trusted user or computer accounts.
Ensure AuditBypassEnabled is not enabled on accounts without a written exception.

Rationale:
If a mailbox audit bypass association is added for an account, the account can access
any mailbox in the organization to which it has been assigned access permissions,
without generating any mailbox audit logging entries for such access or recording any
actions taken, such as message deletions.
Enabling this parameter, whether intentionally or unintentionally, could allow insiders or
malicious actors to conceal their activity on specific mailboxes. Ensuring proper logging
of user actions and mailbox operations in the audit log will enable comprehensive
incident response and forensics.
Impact:
None - this is the default behavior.
Audit:
Ensure Audit Bypass is not enabled using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

$MBX = Get-MailboxAuditBypassAssociation -ResultSize unlimited

$MBX | where {$_.AuditBypassEnabled -eq $true} | Format-Table
Name,AuditBypassEnabled

3. If nothing is returned, then there are no accounts with Audit Bypass enabled.

Page 256
Remediation:
Disable Audit Bypass on all mailboxes using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. The following example PowerShell script will disable AuditBypass for all
mailboxes which currently have it enabled:

# Get mailboxes with AuditBypassEnabled set to $true

$MBXAudit = Get-MailboxAuditBypassAssociation -ResultSize unlimited | Where-
Object { $_.AuditBypassEnabled -eq $true }

foreach ($mailbox in $MBXAudit) {

$mailboxName = $mailbox.Name
Set-MailboxAuditBypassAssociation -Identity $mailboxName -
AuditBypassEnabled $false
Write-Host "Audit Bypass disabled for mailbox Identity: $mailboxName" -
ForegroundColor Green
}

Default Value:
AuditBypassEnabled False

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/get-
mailboxauditbypassassociation?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

Page 257
6.2 Mail flow

Page 258
6.2.1 (L1) Ensure all forms of mail forwarding are blocked and/or
disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Exchange Online offers several methods of managing the flow of email messages.
These are Remote domain, Transport Rules, and Anti-spam outbound policies. These
methods work together to provide comprehensive coverage for potential automatic
forwarding channels:

• Outlook forwarding using inbox rules.

• Outlook forwarding configured using OOF rule.
• OWA forwarding setting (ForwardingSmtpAddress).
• Forwarding set by the admin using EAC (ForwardingAddress).
• Forwarding using Power Automate / Flow.

Ensure a Transport rule and Anti-spam outbound policy are used to block mail
forwarding.
NOTE: Any exclusions should be implemented based on organizational policy.
Rationale:
Attackers often create these rules to exfiltrate data from your tenancy, this could be
accomplished via access to an end-user account or otherwise. An insider could also use
one of these methods as a secondary channel to exfiltrate sensitive data.
Impact:
Care should be taken before implementation to ensure there is no business need for
case-by-case auto-forwarding. Disabling auto-forwarding to remote domains will affect
all users and in an organization. Any exclusions should be implemented based on
organizational policy.

Page 259
Audit:
Note: Audit is a two step procedure as follows:

STEP 1: Transport rules

To verify the mail transport rules do not forward email to external domains using
the UI:

1. Select Exchange to open the Exchange admin center.

2. Select Mail Flow then Rules.
3. Review the rules and verify that none of them are forwards or redirects e-mail to
external domains.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command to review the Transport Rules that are
redirecting email:

Get-TransportRule | Where-Object {$_.RedirectMessageTo -ne $null} | ft

Name,RedirectMessageTo

3. Verify that none of the addresses listed belong to external domains outside of the
organization. If nothing returns then there are no transport rules set to redirect
messages.

STEP 2: Anti-spam outbound policy

Ensure an anti-spam outbound policy is properly configured using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Expand E-mail & collaboration then select Policies & rules.
3. Select Threat policies > Anti-spam.
4. Inspect Anti-spam outbound policy (default) and ensure Automatic
forwarding is set to Off - Forwarding is disabled
5. Inspect any additional custom outbound policies and ensure Automatic
forwarding is set to Off - Forwarding is disabled, in accordance with the
organization's exclusion policies.

Page 260
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell cmdlet:

Get-HostedOutboundSpamFilterPolicy | ft Name, AutoForwardingMode

3. In each outbound policy verify AutoForwardingMode is Off.

Note: According to Microsoft if a recipient is defined in multiple policies of the same

type (anti-spam, anti-phishing, etc.), only the policy with the highest priority is applied to
the recipient. Any remaining policies of that type are not evaluated for the recipient
(including the default policy). However, it is our recommendation to audit the default
policy as well in the case a higher priority custom policy is removed. This will keep the
organization's security posture strong.

Page 261
Remediation:
Note: Remediation is a two step procedure as follows:

STEP 1: Transport rules

To alter the mail transport rules so they do not forward email to external domains
using the UI:

1. Select Exchange to open the Exchange admin center.

2. Select Mail Flow then Rules.
3. For each rule that redirects email to external domains, select the rule and click
the 'Delete' icon.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Remove-TransportRule {RuleName}
STEP 2: Anti-spam outbound policy

To configure an anti-spam outbound policy using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/

2. Expand E-mail & collaboration then select Policies & rules.
3. Select Threat policies > Anti-spam.
4. Select Anti-spam outbound policy (default)
5. Click Edit protection settings
6. Set Automatic forwarding rules dropdown to Off - Forwarding is disabled
and click Save
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for any additional higher priority, custom policies.

Page 262
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-HostedOutboundSpamFilterPolicy -Identity {policyName} -AutoForwardingMode

Off

3. To remove AutoForwarding from all outbound policies you can also run:

Get-HostedOutboundSpamFilterPolicy | Set-HostedOutboundSpamFilterPolicy -
AutoForwardingMode Off

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/policy-and-compliance/mail-flow-
rules/mail-flow-rule-procedures?view=exchserver-2019
2. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/all-you-need-to-
know-about-automatic-email-forwarding-in/ba-
p/2074888#:~:text=%20%20%20Automatic%20forwarding%20option%20%20,%
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/outbound-spam-policies-external-email-forwarding?view=o365-
worldwide

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 263
6.2.2 (L1) Ensure mail transport rules do not whitelist specific
domains (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Mail flow rules (transport rules) in Exchange Online are used to identify and take action
on messages that flow through the organization.
Rationale:
Whitelisting domains in transport rules bypasses regular malware and phishing
scanning, which can enable an attacker to launch attacks against your users from a
safe haven domain.
Impact:
Care should be taken before implementation to ensure there is no business need for
case-by-case whitelisting. Removing all whitelisted domains could affect incoming mail
flow to an organization although modern systems sending legitimate mail should have
no issue with this.
Audit:
Ensure mail transport rules do not whitelist specific domains:

1. Navigate to Exchange admin center https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com..

2. Click to expand Mail Flow and then select Rules.
3. Review the rules and verify that none of them whitelist any specific domains.

To verify that mail transport rules do not whitelist any domains using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-TransportRule | Where-Object {($_.setscl -eq -1 -and $_.SenderDomainIs -

ne $null)} | ft Name,SenderDomainIs

Page 264
Remediation:
To alter the mail transport rules so they do not whitelist any specific domains:

1. Navigate to Exchange admin center https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com..

2. Click to expand Mail Flow and then select Rules.
3. For each rule that whitelists specific domains, select the rule and click the
'Delete' icon.

To remove mail transport rules using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Remove-TransportRule {RuleName}

3. Verify the rules no longer exists.

Get-TransportRule | Where-Object {($_.setscl -eq -1 -and $_.SenderDomainIs -

ne $null)} | ft Name,SenderDomainIs

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/security-and-compliance/mail-flow-
rules/configuration-best-practices
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/security-and-compliance/mail-flow-
rules/mail-flow-rules

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 265
6.2.3 (L1) Ensure email from external senders is identified
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
External callouts provide a native experience to identify emails from senders outside the
organization. This is achieved by presenting a new tag on emails called "External" (the
string is localized based on the client language setting) and exposing related user
interface at the top of the message reading view to see and verify the real sender's
email address.
Once this feature is enabled via PowerShell, it might take 24-48 hours for users to start
seeing the External sender tag in email messages received from external sources
(outside of your organization), providing their Outlook version supports it.
The recommended state is ExternalInOutlook set to Enabled True
Note: Mail flow rules are often used by Exchange administrators to accomplish the
External email tagging by appending a tag to the front of a subject line. There are
limitations to this outlined here. The preferred method in the CIS Benchmark is to use
the native experience.
Rationale:
Tagging emails from external senders helps to inform end users about the origin of the
email. This can allow them to proceed with more caution and make informed decisions
when it comes to identifying spam or phishing emails.
Note: Existing emails in a user's inbox from external senders are not tagged
retroactively.
Impact:
Mail flow rules using external tagging will need to be disabled before enabling this to
avoid duplicate [External] tags.
The Outlook desktop client is the last to receive this update and the feature is only
available for certain versions see below:
Outlook for Windows: Update 4/26/23: External Tag view in Outlook for Windows
(matching other clients) released to production for Current Channel and Monthly
Enterprise Channel in Version 2211 for builds 15831.20190 and higher. We anticipate
the External tag to reach Semi-Annual Preview Channel with Version 2308 on the
September 12th 2023 public update and reach Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel with
Version 2308 with the January 9th 2024 public update.

Page 266
Audit:
To verify external sender tagging using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-ExternalInOutlook

3. For each identity verify Enabled is set to True and the AllowList only contains
email addresses the organization has permitted to bypass external tagging.

Remediation:
To enable external tagging using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-ExternalInOutlook -Enabled $true

Default Value:
Disabled (False)
References:

1. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/native-external-
sender-callouts-on-email-in-outlook/ba-p/2250098
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-
externalinoutlook?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 267
6.3 Roles

Page 268
6.3.1 (L2) Ensure users installing Outlook add-ins is not allowed
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Specify the administrators and users who can install and manage add-ins for Outlook in
Exchange Online
By default, users can install add-ins in their Microsoft Outlook Desktop client, allowing
data access within the client application.
Rationale:
Attackers exploit vulnerable or custom add-ins to access user data. Disabling user-
installed add-ins in Microsoft Outlook reduces this threat surface.
Impact:
Implementing this change will impact both end users and administrators. End users will
be unable to integrate third-party applications they desire, and administrators may
receive requests to grant permission for necessary third-party apps.

Page 269
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Exchange admin center https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Roles select User roles.
3. Select Default Role Assignment Policy.
4. In the properties pane on the right click on Manage permissions.
5. Under Other roles verify My Custom Apps, My Marketplace Apps and My
ReadWriteMailboxApps are unchecked.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following command:

Get-EXOMailbox | Select-Object -Unique RoleAssignmentPolicy |

ForEach-Object {
Get-RoleAssignmentPolicy -Identity $_.RoleAssignmentPolicy |
Where-Object {$_.AssignedRoles -like "*Apps*"}
} | Select-Object Identity, @{Name="AssignedRoles"; Expression={
Get-Mailbox | Select-Object -Unique RoleAssignmentPolicy |
ForEach-Object {
Get-RoleAssignmentPolicy -Identity $_.RoleAssignmentPolicy |
Select-Object -ExpandProperty AssignedRoles |
Where-Object {$_ -like "*Apps*"}
}
}}

3. Verify My Custom Apps, My Marketplace Apps and My ReadWriteMailboxApps are

not present.

Note: As of the current release the manage permissions link no longer displays
anything when a user assigned the Global Reader role clicks on it. Global Readers as
an alternative can inspect the Roles column or use the PowerShell method to perform
the audit.

Page 270
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Exchange admin center https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Roles select User roles.
3. Select Default Role Assignment Policy.
4. In the properties pane on the right click on Manage permissions.
5. Under Other roles uncheck My Custom Apps, My Marketplace Apps and My
ReadWriteMailboxApps.
6. Click Save changes.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following command:

$policy = "Role Assignment Policy - Prevent Add-ins"

$roles = "MyTextMessaging", "MyDistributionGroups", `
"MyMailSubscriptions", "MyBaseOptions", "MyVoiceMail", `
"MyProfileInformation", "MyContactInformation",
"MyRetentionPolicies", `
"MyDistributionGroupMembership"

New-RoleAssignmentPolicy -Name $policy -Roles $roles

Set-RoleAssignmentPolicy -id $policy -IsDefault

# Assign new policy to all mailboxes

Get-EXOMailbox -ResultSize Unlimited | Set-Mailbox -RoleAssignmentPolicy
$policy
If you have other Role Assignment Policies modify the last line to filter out your
custom policies
Default Value:
UI - My Custom Apps, My Marketplace Apps, and My ReadWriteMailboxApps are checked
PowerShell - My Custom Apps My Marketplace Apps and My ReadWriteMailboxApps are
assigned
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-
online/add-ins-for-outlook/specify-who-can-install-and-manage-add-
ins?source=recommendations
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/permissions-exo/role-assignment-
policies

Page 271
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

9.4 Restrict Unnecessary or Unauthorized Browser and

Email Client Extensions
v8 Restrict, either through uninstalling or disabling, any unauthorized or ● ●
unnecessary browser or email client plugins, extensions, and add-on
applications.

5.1 Establish Secure Configurations

v7 Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all ● ● ●
authorized operating systems and software.

Page 272
6.4 Reports

Page 273
6.4.1 (L1) Ensure mail forwarding rules are reviewed at least
weekly (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The Exchange Online environment can be configured in a way that allows for automatic
forwarding of e-mail. This can be done using Transport Rules in the Admin Center, Auto
Forwarding per mailbox, and client-based rules in Outlook. Administrators and users
both are given several methods to automatically and quickly send e-mails outside of
your organization.
Rationale:
Reviewing mail forwarding rules will provide the Messaging Administrator with insight
into possible attempts to exfiltrate data from the organization. Weekly review helps
create a recognition of baseline, legitimate activity of users. This will aid in helping
identify the more malicious activity of bad actors when/if they choose to use this side-
channel.
Impact:
There is no impact to reviewing these reports.
Audit:
To verify mail forwarding rules are being reviewed at least weekly, confirm that the
necessary procedures are in place and being followed by the assigned employee.

Page 274
Remediation:
To review mail forwarding rules:

1. Navigate to Exchange admin center https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com.

2. Expand Reports then select Mail flow.
3. Click on Auto forwarded messages report.
4. Review.

Note: Mail flow reports cannot be viewed from the Classic Exchange Admin Center

Page 275
To review mail forwarding rules using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell using Connect-ExchangeOnline

# Uses the administrator user credential to export Mail forwarding rules,

User Delegates
# and SMTP Forwarding policies to multiple csv files.

$allUsers = Get-User -ResultSize Unlimited -Filter {RecipientTypeDetails -eq

"UserMailbox" } |
Where-Object {$_.AccountDisabled -like "False"}

$UserInboxRules = @()
$UserDelegates = @()

foreach ($User in $allUsers) {

Write-Host "Checking inbox rules and delegates for user: "
$User.UserPrincipalName
$UserInboxRules += Get-InboxRule -Mailbox $User.UserPrincipalName |
Select-Object Name, Description, Enabled, Priority, ForwardTo,
ForwardAsAttachmentTo, RedirectTo, DeleteMessage |
Where-Object { ($_.ForwardTo -ne $null) -or ($_.ForwardAsAttachmentTo -ne
$null) -or ($_.RedirectsTo -ne $null) }
$UserDelegates += Get-MailboxPermission -Identity $User.UserPrincipalName |
Where-Object { ($_.IsInherited -ne "True") -and ($_.User -notlike
"*SELF*") }
}

$SMTPForwarding = Get-Mailbox -ResultSize Unlimited |

Select-Object DisplayName, ForwardingAddress, ForwardingSMTPAddress,
DeliverToMailboxandForward |
Where-Object {$_.ForwardingSMTPAddress -ne $null}

# Export list of inbox rules, delegates, and SMTP forwards

$UserInboxRules | Export-Csv MailForwardingRulesToExternalDomains.csv -
NoTypeInformation
$UserDelegates | Export-Csv MailboxDelegatePermissions.csv -NoTypeInformation
$SMTPForwarding | Export-Csv Mailboxsmtpforwarding.csv -NoTypeInformation

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.11 Conduct Audit Log Reviews

v8 Conduct reviews of audit logs to detect anomalies or abnormal events that
could indicate a potential threat. Conduct reviews on a weekly, or more frequent,
● ●
basis.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 276
6.5 Settings

Page 277
6.5.1 (L1) Ensure modern authentication for Exchange Online is
enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Modern authentication in Microsoft 365 enables authentication features like multifactor
authentication (MFA) using smart cards, certificate-based authentication (CBA), and
third-party SAML identity providers. When you enable modern authentication in
Exchange Online, Outlook 2016 and Outlook 2013 use modern authentication to log in
to Microsoft 365 mailboxes. When you disable modern authentication in Exchange
Online, Outlook 2016 and Outlook 2013 use basic authentication to log in to Microsoft
365 mailboxes.
When users initially configure certain email clients, like Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016,
they may be required to authenticate using enhanced authentication mechanisms, such
as multifactor authentication. Other Outlook clients that are available in Microsoft 365
(for example, Outlook Mobile and Outlook for Mac 2016) always use modern
authentication to log in to Microsoft 365 mailboxes.
Rationale:
Strong authentication controls, such as the use of multifactor authentication, may be
circumvented if basic authentication is used by Exchange Online email clients such as
Outlook 2016 and Outlook 2013. Enabling modern authentication for Exchange Online
ensures strong authentication mechanisms are used when establishing sessions
between email clients and Exchange Online.
Impact:
Users of older email clients, such as Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016, will no longer be
able to authenticate to Exchange using Basic Authentication, which will necessitate
migration to modern authentication practices.

Page 278
Audit:
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Run the Microsoft Exchange Online PowerShell Module.

2. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-OrganizationConfig | Format-Table -Auto Name, OAuth*

4. Verify OAuth2ClientProfileEnabled is True.

Remediation:
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Run the Microsoft Exchange Online PowerShell Module.

2. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-OrganizationConfig -OAuth2ClientProfileEnabled $True

Default Value:
True
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-
online/enable-or-disable-modern-authentication-in-exchange-online

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.10 Encrypt Sensitive Data in Transit

v8 Encrypt sensitive data in transit. Example implementations can include: ● ●
Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH).

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

16.5 Encrypt Transmittal of Username and

v7 Authentication Credentials
Ensure that all account usernames and authentication credentials are
● ●
transmitted across networks using encrypted channels.

Page 279
6.5.2 (L1) Ensure MailTips are enabled for end users (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
MailTips are informative messages displayed to users while they're composing a
message. While a new message is open and being composed, Exchange analyzes the
message (including recipients). If a potential problem is detected, the user is notified
with a MailTip prior to sending the message. Using the information in the MailTip, the
user can adjust the message to avoid undesirable situations or non-delivery reports
(also known as NDRs or bounce messages).
Rationale:
Setting up MailTips gives a visual aid to users when they send emails to large groups of
recipients or send emails to recipients not within the tenant.
Impact:
Not applicable.
Audit:
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-OrganizationConfig | fl MailTips*

3. Verify the values for MailTipsAllTipsEnabled,

MailTipsExternalRecipientsTipsEnabled, and MailTipsGroupMetricsEnabled
are set to True and MailTipsLargeAudienceThreshold is set to an acceptable
value; 25 is the default value.

Page 280
Remediation:
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

$TipsParams = @{
MailTipsAllTipsEnabled = $true
MailTipsExternalRecipientsTipsEnabled = $true
MailTipsGroupMetricsEnabled = $true
MailTipsLargeAudienceThreshold = '25'
}

Set-OrganizationConfig @TipsParams

Default Value:
MailTipsAllTipsEnabled: True MailTipsExternalRecipientsTipsEnabled: False
MailTipsGroupMetricsEnabled: True MailTipsLargeAudienceThreshold: 25
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-
online/mailtips/mailtips
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-
organizationconfig?view=exchange-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 281
6.5.3 (L2) Ensure additional storage providers are restricted in
Outlook on the web (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
This setting allows users to open certain external files while working in Outlook on the
web. If allowed, keep in mind that Microsoft doesn't control the use terms or privacy
policies of those third-party services.
Ensure AdditionalStorageProvidersAvailable are restricted.

Rationale:
By default additional storage providers are allowed in Office on the Web (such as Box,
Dropbox, Facebook, Google Drive, OneDrive Personal, etc.). This could lead to
information leakage and additional risk of infection from organizational non-trusted
storage providers. Restricting this will inherently reduce risk as it will narrow
opportunities for infection and data leakage.
Impact:
Impact associated with this change is highly dependent upon current practices in the
tenant. If users do not use other storage providers, then minimal impact is likely.
However, if users do regularly utilize providers outside of the tenant this will affect their
ability to continue to do so.
Audit:
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-OwaMailboxPolicy | Format-Table Name, AdditionalStorageProvidersAvailable

3. Verify that the value returned is False.

Page 282
Remediation:
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using Connect-ExchangeOnline.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-OwaMailboxPolicy -Identity OwaMailboxPolicy-Default -

AdditionalStorageProvidersAvailable $false

Default Value:
Additional Storage Providers - True

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-
owamailboxpolicy?view=exchange-ps
2. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/3rd-party-cloud-storage-services-
supported-by-office-apps-fce12782-eccc-4cf5-8f4b-d1ebec513f72

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

13.1 Maintain an Inventory Sensitive Information

v7 Maintain an inventory of all sensitive information stored, processed, or
transmitted by the organization's technology systems, including those located
● ● ●
onsite or at a remote service provider.

13.4 Only Allow Access to Authorized Cloud Storage or

v7 Email Providers ● ●
Only allow access to authorized cloud storage or email providers.

Page 283
7 SharePoint admin center
The SharePoint admin center contains settings related to SharePoint and OneDrive.
UI Direct link: https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint
The PowerShell module most commonly used in this section is
Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell and uses Connect-SPOService -Url
https://contoso-admin.sharepoint.com as the connection cmdlet (replacing tenant
name with your value).
The latest version of the module can be downloaded here:
https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell/

Page 284
7.1 Sites

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 285
7.2 Policies

Page 286
7.2.1 (L1) Ensure modern authentication for SharePoint
applications is required (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Modern authentication in Microsoft 365 enables authentication features like multifactor
authentication (MFA) using smart cards, certificate-based authentication (CBA), and
third-party SAML identity providers.
Rationale:
Strong authentication controls, such as the use of multifactor authentication, may be
circumvented if basic authentication is used by SharePoint applications. Requiring
modern authentication for SharePoint applications ensures strong authentication
mechanisms are used when establishing sessions between these applications,
SharePoint, and connecting users.
Impact:
Implementation of modern authentication for SharePoint will require users to
authenticate to SharePoint using modern authentication. This may cause a minor
impact to typical user behavior.
This may also prevent third-party apps from accessing SharePoint Online resources.
Also, this will also block apps using the SharePointOnlineCredentials class to access
SharePoint Online resources.

Page 287
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint.

2. Click to expand Policies select Access control.
3. Select Apps that don't use modern authentication and ensure that it is set to
Block access.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService -Url https://tenant-

admin.sharepoint.com replacing tenant with your value.
2. Run the following SharePoint Online PowerShell command:

Get-SPOTenant | ft LegacyAuthProtocolsEnabled

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint.

2. Click to expand Policies select Access control.
3. Select Apps that don't use modern authentication.
4. Select the radio button for Block access.
5. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService -Url https://tenant-

admin.sharepoint.com replacing tenant with your value.
2. Run the following SharePoint Online PowerShell command:

Set-SPOTenant -LegacyAuthProtocolsEnabled $false

Default Value:
True (Apps that don't use modern authentication are allowed)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
spotenant?view=sharepoint-ps

Page 288
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.10 Encrypt Sensitive Data in Transit

v8 Encrypt sensitive data in transit. Example implementations can include: ● ●
Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH).

16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication

v7 Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, ● ●
whether managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

Page 289
7.2.2 (L1) Ensure SharePoint and OneDrive integration with
Azure AD B2B is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Entra ID B2B provides authentication and management of guests. Authentication
happens via one-time passcode when they don't already have a work or school account
or a Microsoft account. Integration with SharePoint and OneDrive allows for more
granular control of how guest user accounts are managed in the organization's AAD,
unifying a similar guest experience already deployed in other Microsoft 365 services
such as Teams.
Note: Global Reader role currently can't access SharePoint using PowerShell.
Rationale:
External users assigned guest accounts will be subject to Entra ID access policies, such
as multi-factor authentication. This provides a way to manage guest identities and
control access to SharePoint and OneDrive resources. Without this integration, files can
be shared without account registration, making it more challenging to audit and manage
who has access to the organization's data.
Impact:
B2B collaboration is used with other Entra services so should not be new or unusual.
Microsoft also has made the experience seamless when turning on integration on
SharePoint sites that already have active files shared with guest users. The referenced
Microsoft article on the subject has more details on this.
Audit:
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService

2. Run the following command:

Get-SPOTenant | ft EnableAzureADB2BIntegration

3. Ensure the returned value is True.

Page 290
Remediation:
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService

2. Run the following command:

Set-SPOTenant -EnableAzureADB2BIntegration $true

Default Value:
False
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/sharepoint-azureb2b-
integration#enabling-the-integration
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/external-identities/what-
is-b2b
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
spotenant?view=sharepoint-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 291
7.2.3 (L1) Ensure external content sharing is restricted
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
The external sharing settings govern sharing for the organization overall. Each site has
its own sharing setting that can be set independently, though it must be at the same or
more restrictive setting as the organization.
The new and existing guests option requires people who have received invitations to
sign in with their work or school account (if their organization uses Microsoft 365) or a
Microsoft account, or to provide a code to verify their identity. Users can share with
guests already in your organization's directory, and they can send invitations to people
who will be added to the directory if they sign in.
The recommended state is New and existing guests or less permissive.

Rationale:
Forcing guest authentication on the organization's tenant enables the implementation of
controls and oversight over external file sharing. When a guest is registered with the
organization, they now have an identity which can be accounted for. This identity can
also have other restrictions applied to it through group membership and conditional
access rules.
Impact:
When using B2B integration, Entra ID external collaboration settings, such as guest
invite settings and collaboration restrictions apply.

Page 292
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Locate the External sharing section.
4. Under SharePoint, ensure the slider bar is set to New and existing guests or a
less permissive level.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Get-SPOTenant | fl SharingCapability

3. Ensure SharingCapability is set to one of the following values:

o Value1: ExternalUserSharingOnly
o Value2: ExistingExternalUserSharingOnly
o Value3: Disabled

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Locate the External sharing section.
4. Under SharePoint, move the slider bar to New and existing guests or a less
permissive level.
o OneDrive will also be moved to the same level and can never be more
permissive than SharePoint.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet to establish the minimum recommended state:

Set-SPOTenant -SharingCapability ExternalUserSharingOnly

Note: Other acceptable values for this parameter that are more restrictive include:
Disabled and ExistingExternalUserSharingOnly.

Default Value:
Anyone (ExternalUserAndGuestSharing)

Page 293
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepoint/turn-external-sharing-on-or-
off?WT.mc_id=365AdminCSH_spo
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
spotenant?view=sharepoint-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

Page 294
7.2.4 (L2) Ensure OneDrive content sharing is restricted
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
This setting governs the global permissiveness of OneDrive content sharing in the
organization.
OneDrive content sharing can be restricted independent of SharePoint but can never be
more permissive than the level established with SharePoint.
The recommended state is Only people in your organization.

Rationale:
OneDrive, designed for end-user cloud storage, inherently provides less oversight and
control compared to SharePoint, which often involves additional content overseers or
site administrators. This autonomy can lead to potential risks such as inadvertent
sharing of privileged information by end users. Restricting external OneDrive sharing
will require users to transfer content to SharePoint folders first which have those tighter
controls.
Impact:
Users will be required to take additional steps to share OneDrive content or use other
official channels.

Page 295
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Locate the External sharing section.
4. Under OneDrive, ensure the slider bar is set to Only people in your
organization.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Get-SPOTenant | fl OneDriveSharingCapability

3. Ensure the returned value is Disabled.

Alternative audit method using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online.

2. Use one of the following methods:

# Replace [tenant] with your tenant id

Get-SPOSite -Identity https://[tenant]-my.sharepoint.com/ | fl
Url,SharingCapability

# Or run this to filter to the specific site without supplying the tenant
name.
$OneDriveSite = Get-SPOSite -Filter { Url -like "*-my.sharepoint.com/" }
Get-SPOSite -Identity $OneDriveSite | fl Url,SharingCapability

2. Ensure the returned value for SharingCapability is Disabled

Note: As of March 2024, using Get-SPOSite with Where-Object or filtering against the
entire site and then returning the SharingCapability parameter can result in a different
value as opposed to running the cmdlet specifically against the OneDrive specific site
using the -Identity switch as shown in the example.
Note 2: The parameter OneDriveSharingCapability may not be yet fully available in all
tenants. It is demonstrated in official Microsoft documentation as linked in the
references section but not in the Set-SPOTenant cmdlet itself. If the parameter is
unavailable, then either use the UI method or alternative PowerShell audit method.

Page 296
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Locate the External sharing section.
4. Under OneDrive, set the slider bar to Only people in your organization.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Set-SPOTenant -OneDriveSharingCapability Disabled

Alternative remediation method using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online.

2. Run one of the following:

# Replace [tenant] with your tenant id

Set-SPOSite -Identity https://[tenant]-my.sharepoint.com/ -SharingCapability
Disabled

# Or run this to filter to the specific site without supplying the tenant
name.
$OneDriveSite = Get-SPOSite -Filter { Url -like "*-my.sharepoint.com/" }
Set-SPOSite -Identity $OneDriveSite -SharingCapability Disabled

Default Value:
Anyone (ExternalUserAndGuestSharing)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/dev/embedded/concepts/app-
concepts/sharing-and-perm#container-partition

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

Page 297
7.2.5 (L2) Ensure that SharePoint guest users cannot share items
they don't own (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
SharePoint gives users the ability to share files, folders, and site collections. Internal
users can share with external collaborators, and with the right permissions could share
to other external parties.
Rationale:
Sharing and collaboration are key; however, file, folder, or site collection owners should
have the authority over what external users get shared with to prevent unauthorized
disclosures of information.
Impact:
The impact associated with this change is highly dependent upon current practices. If
users do not regularly share with external parties, then minimal impact is likely.
However, if users do regularly share with guests/externally, minimum impacts could
occur as those external users will be unable to 're-share' content.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies then select Sharing.
3. Expand More external sharing settings, verify that Allow guests to share
items they don't own is unchecked.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following SharePoint Online PowerShell command:

Get-SPOTenant | ft PreventExternalUsersFromResharing

3. Ensure the returned value is True.

Page 298
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies then select Sharing.
3. Expand More external sharing settings, uncheck Allow guests to share
items they don't own.
4. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following SharePoint Online PowerShell command:

Set-SPOTenant -PreventExternalUsersFromResharing $True

Default Value:
Checked (False)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/turn-external-sharing-on-or-off
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/external-sharing-overview

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

Page 299
7.2.6 (L2) Ensure SharePoint external sharing is managed
through domain whitelist/blacklists (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Control sharing of documents to external domains by either blocking domains or only
allowing sharing with specific named domains.
Rationale:
Attackers will often attempt to expose sensitive information to external entities through
sharing, and restricting the domains that users can share documents with will reduce
that surface area.
Impact:
Enabling this feature will prevent users from sharing documents with domains outside of
the organization unless allowed.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Expand Policies then click Sharing.
3. Expand More external sharing settings and confirm that Limit external
sharing by domain is checked.
4. Verify that an accurate list of allowed domains is listed.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SPOTenant | fl SharingDomainRestrictionMode,SharingAllowedDomainList

3. Ensure that SharingDomainRestrictionMode is set to AllowList and

SharingAllowedDomainList contains domains trusted by the organization for
external sharing.

Page 300
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint.

2. Expand Policies then click Sharing.
3. Expand More external sharing settings and check Limit external sharing
by domain.
4. Select Add domains to add a list of approved domains.
5. Click Save at the bottom of the page.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-SPOTenant -SharingDomainRestrictionMode AllowList -

SharingAllowedDomainList "domain1.com domain2.com"

Default Value:
Limit external sharing by domain is unchecked
SharingDomainRestrictionMode: None
SharingDomainRestrictionMode: <Undefined>
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

13.4 Only Allow Access to Authorized Cloud Storage or

v7 Email Providers ● ●
Only allow access to authorized cloud storage or email providers.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

Page 301
7.2.7 (L1) Ensure link sharing is restricted in SharePoint and
OneDrive (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting sets the default link type that a user will see when sharing content in
OneDrive or SharePoint. It does not restrict or exclude any other options.
The recommended state is Specific people (only the people the user specifies)

Rationale:
By defaulting to specific people, the user will first need to consider whether or not the
content being shared should be accessible by the entire organization versus select
individuals. This aids in reinforcing the concept of least privilege.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to File and folder links.
4. Ensure that the setting Choose the type of link that's selected by default
when users share files and folders in SharePoint and OneDrive is set to
Specific people (only the people the user specifies)

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SPOTenant | fl DefaultSharingLinkType

3. Ensure the returned value is Direct.

Page 302
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to File and folder links.
4. Set Choose the type of link that's selected by default when users share
files and folders in SharePoint and OneDrive to Specific people (only the
people the user specifies)

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Set-SPOTenant -DefaultSharingLinkType Direct

Default Value:
Only people in your organization (Internal)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
spotenant?view=sharepoint-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

Page 303
7.2.8 (L2) Ensure external sharing is restricted by security group
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
External sharing of content can be restricted to specific security groups. This setting is
global, applies to sharing in both SharePoint and OneDrive and cannot be set at the site
level in SharePoint.
The recommended state is Enabled or Checked.
Note: Users in these security groups must be allowed to invite guests in the guest invite
settings in Microsoft Entra. Identity > External Identities > External collaboration settings
Rationale:
Organizations wishing to create tighter security controls for external sharing can set this
to enforce role-based access control by using security groups already defined in
Microsoft Entra.
Impact:
OneDrive will also be governed by this and there is no granular control at the
SharePoint site level.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to and expand More external sharing settings.
4. Ensure the following:
o Verify Allow only users in specific security groups to share
externally is checked
o Verify Manage security groups is defined and accordance with company
procedure.

Page 304
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to and expand More external sharing settings.
4. Set the following:
o Check Allow only users in specific security groups to share
externally
o Define Manage security groups in accordance with company procedure.

Default Value:
Unchecked/Undefined
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/manage-security-groups

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control

Define and maintain role-based access control, through determining and
v8 documenting the access rights necessary for each role within the enterprise to
successfully carry out its assigned duties. Perform access control reviews of
●
enterprise assets to validate that all privileges are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum annually, or more frequently.

Page 305
7.2.9 (L1) Ensure guest access to a site or OneDrive will expire
automatically (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting configures the expiration time for each guest that is invited to the
SharePoint site or with whom users share individual files and folders with.
The recommended state is 30 or less.

Rationale:
This setting ensures that guests who no longer need access to the site or link no longer
have access after a set period of time. Allowing guest access for an indefinite amount of
time could lead to loss of data confidentiality and oversight.
Note: Guest membership applies at the Microsoft 365 group level. Guests who have
permission to view a SharePoint site or use a sharing link may also have access to a
Microsoft Teams team or security group.
Impact:
Site collection administrators will have to renew access to guests who still need access
after 30 days. They will receive an e-mail notification once per week about guest access
that is about to expire.
Note: The guest expiration policy only applies to guests who use sharing links or guests
who have direct permissions to a SharePoint site after the guest policy is enabled. The
guest policy does not apply to guest users that have pre-existing permissions or access
through a sharing link before the guest expiration policy is applied.

Page 306
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to and expand More external sharing settings.
4. Ensure Guest access to a site or OneDrive will expire automatically
after this many days is checked and set to 30 or less.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Get-SPOTenant | fl ExternalUserExpirationRequired,ExternalUserExpireInDays

3. Ensure the following values are returned:

o ExternalUserExpirationRequired is True.
o ExternalUserExpireInDays is 30 or less.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to and expand More external sharing settings.
4. Set Guest access to a site or OneDrive will expire automatically after
this many days to 30

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Set-SPOTenant -ExternalUserExpireInDays 30 -ExternalUserExpirationRequired

$True

Default Value:
ExternalUserExpirationRequired $false
ExternalUserExpireInDays 60 days

Page 307
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepoint/turn-external-sharing-on-or-
off?WT.mc_id=365AdminCSH_spo#change-the-organization-level-external-
sharing-setting
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/community/sharepoint-security-a-
team-effort

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 308
7.2.10 (L1) Ensure reauthentication with verification code is
restricted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting configures if guests who use a verification code to access the site or links
are required to reauthenticate after a set number of days.
The recommended state is 15 or less.

Rationale:
By increasing the frequency of times guests need to reauthenticate this ensures guest
user access to data is not prolonged beyond an acceptable amount of time.
Impact:
Guests who use Microsoft 365 in their organization can sign in using their work or
school account to access the site or document. After the one-time passcode for
verification has been entered for the first time, guests will authenticate with their work or
school account and have a guest account created in the host's organization.
Note: If OneDrive and SharePoint integration with Entra ID B2B is enabled as per the
CIS Benchmark the one-time-passcode experience will be replaced. Please visit Secure
external sharing in SharePoint - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn for more
information.

Page 309
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to and expand More external sharing settings.
4. Ensure People who use a verification code must reauthenticate after this
many days is set to 15 or less.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Get-SPOTenant | fl EmailAttestationRequired,EmailAttestationReAuthDays

3. Ensure the following values are returned:

o EmailAttestationRequired True
o EmailAttestationReAuthDays 15 or less days.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click to expand Policies > Sharing.
3. Scroll to and expand More external sharing settings.
4. Set People who use a verification code must reauthenticate after this
many days to 15 or less.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online service using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following cmdlet:

Set-SPOTenant -EmailAttestationRequired $true -EmailAttestationReAuthDays 15

Default Value:
EmailAttestationRequired : False
EmailAttestationReAuthDays : 30

Page 310
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepoint/what-s-new-in-sharing-in-targeted-
release?WT.mc_id=365AdminCSH_spo
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepoint/turn-external-sharing-on-or-
off?WT.mc_id=365AdminCSH_spo#change-the-organization-level-external-
sharing-setting
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/external-identities/one-
time-passcode

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 311
7.3 Settings

Page 312
7.3.1 (L2) Ensure Office 365 SharePoint infected files are
disallowed for download (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E5 Level 2
Description:
By default, SharePoint online allows files that Defender for Office 365 has detected as
infected to be downloaded.
Rationale:
Defender for Office 365 for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams protects your
organization from inadvertently sharing malicious files. When an infected file is detected
that file is blocked so that no one can open, copy, move, or share it until further actions
are taken by the organization's security team.
Impact:
The only potential impact associated with implementation of this setting is potential
inconvenience associated with the small percentage of false positive detections that
may occur.
Audit:
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService -Url https://tenant-

admin.sharepoint.com, replacing "tenant" with the appropriate value.
2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SPOTenant | Select-Object DisallowInfectedFileDownload

3. Ensure the value for DisallowInfectedFileDownload is set to True.

Note: According to Microsoft, SharePoint cannot be accessed through PowerShell by

users with the Global Reader role. For further information, please refer to the reference
section.

Page 313
Remediation:
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService -Url https://tenant-

admin.sharepoint.com, replacing "tenant" with the appropriate value.
2. Run the following PowerShell command to set the recommended value:

Set-SPOTenant –DisallowInfectedFileDownload $true

Note: The Global Reader role cannot access SharePoint using PowerShell according to
Microsoft. See the reference section for more information.
Default Value:
False
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/safe-
attachments-for-spo-odfb-teams-configure?view=o365-worldwide
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/anti-
malware-protection-for-spo-odfb-teams-about?view=o365-worldwide
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/roles/permissions-
reference#global-reader

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 10.1 Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software ● ● ●

Deploy and maintain anti-malware software on all enterprise assets.

7.10 Sandbox All Email Attachments

v7 Use sandboxing to analyze and block inbound email attachments with ●
malicious behavior.

8.1 Utilize Centrally Managed Anti-malware Software

v7 Utilize centrally managed anti-malware software to continuously monitor and ● ●
defend each of the organization's workstations and servers.

Page 314
7.3.2 (L2) Ensure OneDrive sync is restricted for unmanaged
devices (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft OneDrive allows users to sign in their cloud tenant account and begin syncing
select folders or the entire contents of OneDrive to a local computer. By default, this
includes any computer with OneDrive already installed, whether it is Azure Domain
Joined or Active Directory Domain joined.
The recommended state for this setting is Allow syncing only on computers joined
to specific domains Enabled: Specify the AD domain GUID(s)

Rationale:
Unmanaged devices pose a risk, since their security cannot be verified through existing
security policies, brokers or endpoint protection. Allowing users to sync data to these
devices takes that data out of the control of the organization. This increases the risk of
the data either being intentionally or accidentally leaked.
Note: This setting is only applicable to Active Directory domains when operating in a
hybrid configuration. It does not apply to Entra ID domains. If there are devices which
are only Entra ID joined, consider using a Conditional Access Policy instead.
Impact:
Enabling this feature will prevent users from using the OneDrive for Business Sync
client on devices that are not joined to the domains that were defined.

Page 315
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click Settings followed by OneDrive - Sync
3. Verify that Allow syncing only on computers joined to specific domains is
checked.
4. Verify that the Active Directory domain GUIDS are listed in the box.
o Use the Get-ADDomain PowerShell command on the on-premises server to
obtain the GUID for each on-premises domain.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService -Url https://tenant-

admin.sharepoint.com, replacing "tenant" with the appropriate value.
2. Run the following PowerShell command:

Get-SPOTenantSyncClientRestriction | fl
TenantRestrictionEnabled,AllowedDomainList

3. Ensure TenantRestrictionEnabled is set to True and AllowedDomainList

contains the trusted domains GUIDs from the on premises environment.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Click Settings then select OneDrive - Sync.
3. Check the Allow syncing only on computers joined to specific domains.
4. Use the Get-ADDomain PowerShell command on the on-premises server to obtain
the GUID for each on-premises domain.
5. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService

2. Run the following PowerShell command and provide the DomainGuids from the
Get-AADomain command:

Set-SPOTenantSyncClientRestriction -Enable -DomainGuids "786548DD-877B-4760-

A749-6B1EFBC1190A; 877564FF-877B-4760-A749-6B1EFBC1190A"
Note: Utilize the -BlockMacSync:$true parameter if you are not using conditional
access to ensure Macs cannot sync.

Page 316
Default Value:
By default there are no restrictions applied to the syncing of OneDrive.
TenantRestrictionEnabled : False
AllowedDomainList : {}

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepoint/allow-syncing-only-on-specific-
domains?WT.mc_id=365AdminCSH_spo
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
spotenantsyncclientrestriction?view=sharepoint-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 317
7.3.3 (L1) Ensure custom script execution is restricted on
personal sites (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting controls custom script execution on OneDrive or user-created sites.
Custom scripts can allow users to change the look, feel and behavior of sites and
pages. Every script that runs in a SharePoint page (whether it's an HTML page in a
document library or a JavaScript in a Script Editor Web Part) always runs in the context
of the user visiting the page and the SharePoint application. This means:

• Scripts have access to everything the user has access to.

• Scripts can access content across several Microsoft 365 services and even
beyond with Microsoft Graph integration.

The recommended state is Prevent users from running custom script on personal
sites and Prevent users from running custom script on self-service created
sites

Rationale:
Custom scripts could contain malicious instructions unknown to the user or
administrator. When users are allowed to run custom script, the organization can no
longer enforce governance, scope the capabilities of inserted code, block specific parts
of code, or block all custom code that has been deployed. If scripting is allowed the
following things can't be audited:

• What code has been inserted

• Where the code has been inserted
• Who inserted the code

Note: Microsoft recommends using the SharePoint Framework instead of custom

scripts.
Impact:
None - this is the default behavior.

Page 318
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Select Settings.
3. At the bottom of the page click the classic settings page hyperlink.
4. Scroll to locate the Custom Script section. On the right ensure the following:
o Verify Prevent users from running custom script on personal sites is
set.
o Verify Prevent users from running custom script on self-service
created sites is set.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to SharePoint admin center https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint

2. Select Settings.
3. At the bottom of the page click the classic settings page hyperlink.
4. Scroll to locate the Custom Script section. On the right set the following:
o Select Prevent users from running custom script on personal sites.
o Select Prevent users from running custom script on self-service
created sites.

Default Value:
Selected Prevent users from running custom script on personal sites
Selected Prevent users from running custom script on self-service created
sites

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/allow-or-prevent-custom-script
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/security-considerations-of-allowing-
custom-script
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
sposite?view=sharepoint-ps

Page 319
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

2.7 Allowlist Authorized Scripts

Use technical controls, such as digital signatures and version control, to ensure
v8 that only authorized scripts, such as specific .ps1, .py, etc., files, are allowed to ●
execute. Block unauthorized scripts from executing. Reassess bi-annually, or more
frequently.

Page 320
7.3.4 (L1) Ensure custom script execution is restricted on site
collections (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting controls custom script execution on a particular site (previously called "site
collection").
Custom scripts can allow users to change the look, feel and behavior of sites and
pages. Every script that runs in a SharePoint page (whether it's an HTML page in a
document library or a JavaScript in a Script Editor Web Part) always runs in the context
of the user visiting the page and the SharePoint application. This means:

• Scripts have access to everything the user has access to.

• Scripts can access content across several Microsoft 365 services and even
beyond with Microsoft Graph integration.

The recommended state is DenyAddAndCustomizePages set to $true.

Rationale:
Custom scripts could contain malicious instructions unknown to the user or
administrator. When users are allowed to run custom script, the organization can no
longer enforce governance, scope the capabilities of inserted code, block specific parts
of code, or block all custom code that has been deployed. If scripting is allowed the
following things can't be audited:

• What code has been inserted

• Where the code has been inserted
• Who inserted the code

Note: Microsoft recommends using the SharePoint Framework instead of custom

scripts.
Impact:
None - this is the default behavior.

Page 321
Audit:
To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService.

2. Run the following PowerShell command to show non-compliant results:

Get-SPOSite | Where-Object { $_.DenyAddAndCustomizePages -eq "Disabled" `

-and $_.Url -notlike "*-my.sharepoint.com/" } |
ft Title, Url, DenyAddAndCustomizePages

3. Ensure the returned value is for DenyAddAndCustomizePages is Enabled for each

site.

Note: The property DenyAddAndCustomizePages cannot be set on the MySite host, which
is displayed with a URL like https://tenant id-my.sharepoint.com/

Remediation:
To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService.

2. Edit the below and run for each site as needf8ed:

Set-SPOSite -Identity <SiteUrl> -DenyAddAndCustomizePages $true

Note: The property DenyAddAndCustomizePages cannot be set on the MySite host, which
is displayed with a URL like https://tenant id-my.sharepoint.com/

Default Value:
DenyAddAndCustomizePages $true or Enabled

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/allow-or-prevent-custom-script
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/security-considerations-of-allowing-
custom-script
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/sharepoint-online/set-
sposite?view=sharepoint-ps

Page 322
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

2.7 Allowlist Authorized Scripts

Use technical controls, such as digital signatures and version control, to ensure
v8 that only authorized scripts, such as specific .ps1, .py, etc., files, are allowed to ●
execute. Block unauthorized scripts from executing. Reassess bi-annually, or more
frequently.

Page 323
8 Microsoft Teams admin center
The Microsoft Teams admin center contains settings related to Microsoft Teams.
UI Direct link: https://admin.teams.microsoft.com/
The PowerShell module most commonly used in this section is MicrosoftTeams and
uses Connect-MicrosoftTeams as the connection cmdlet.
The latest version of the module can be downloaded here:
https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/MicrosoftTeams/

Page 324
8.1 Teams

Page 325
8.1.1 (L2) Ensure external file sharing in Teams is enabled for
only approved cloud storage services (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Microsoft Teams enables collaboration via file sharing. This file sharing is conducted
within Teams, using SharePoint Online, by default; however, third-party cloud services
are allowed as well.
Note: Skype for business is deprecated as of July 31, 2021 although these settings may
still be valid for a period of time. See the link in the references section for more
information.
Rationale:
Ensuring that only authorized cloud storage providers are accessible from Teams will
help to dissuade the use of non-approved storage providers.
Impact:
The impact associated with this change is highly dependent upon current practices in
the tenant. If users do not use other storage providers, then minimal impact is likely.
However, if users do regularly utilize providers outside of the tenant this will affect their
ability to continue to do so.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams select Teams settings.
3. Under files verify that only authorized cloud storage options are set to On and all
others Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams

2. Run the following to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsClientConfiguration | fl
AllowDropbox,AllowBox,AllowGoogleDrive,AllowShareFile,AllowEgnyte

3. Verify that only authorized providers are set to True and all others False.

Page 326
Remediation:
To set external file sharing in Teams:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams select Teams settings.
3. Set any unauthorized providers to Off.

To set cloud sharing options using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams

2. Run the following PowerShell command to disable external providers that are not
authorized. (the example disables Citrix Files, DropBox, Box, Google Drive and
Egnyte)

$storageParams = @{
AllowGoogleDrive = $false
AllowShareFile = $false
AllowBox = $false
AllowDropBox = $false
AllowEgnyte = $false
}

Set-CsTeamsClientConfiguration @storageParams

Default Value:
AllowDropBox : True
AllowBox : True
AllowGoogleDrive : True
AllowShareFile : True
AllowEgnyte : True

References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/manage-skype-for-
business-online-with-microsoft-365-powershell?view=o365-worldwide

Page 327
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

14.7 Enforce Access Control to Data through Automated

v7 Tools
Use an automated tool, such as host-based Data Loss Prevention, to enforce
●
access controls to data even when data is copied off a system.

Page 328
8.1.2 (L1) Ensure users can't send emails to a channel email
address (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Teams channel email addresses are an optional feature that allows users to email the
Teams channel directly.
Rationale:
Channel email addresses are not under the tenant’s domain and organizations do not
have control over the security settings for this email address. An attacker could email
channels directly if they discover the channel email address.
Impact:
Users will not be able to email the channel directly.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams select Teams settings.
3. Under email integration verify that Users can send emails to a channel email
address is Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsClientConfiguration -Identity Global | fl AllowEmailIntoChannel

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Page 329
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams select Teams settings.
3. Under email integration set Users can send emails to a channel email
address to Off.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsClientConfiguration -Identity Global -AllowEmailIntoChannel $false

Default Value:
On (True)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/step-
by-step-guides/reducing-attack-surface-in-microsoft-teams?view=o365-
worldwide#restricting-channel-email-messages-to-approved-domains
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-
csteamsclientconfiguration?view=skype-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 330
8.2 Users

Page 331
8.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'external access' is restricted in the Teams
admin center (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting controls chat with external unmanaged Skype and Teams users.
Users in the organization will not be searchable by unmanaged Skype or Teams users
and will have to initiate all communications with unmanaged users.
Note: As of December 2021, the default for Teams external communication is set to
'People in my organization can communicate with Teams users whose accounts aren't
managed by an organization.'
Note #2: Skype for business is deprecated as of July 31, 2021, although these settings
may still be valid for a period of time. See the link in the reference section for more
information.
Rationale:
Allowing users to communicate with Skype or Teams users outside of an organization
presents a potential security threat as external users can interact with organization
users over Skype for Business or Teams. While legitimate, productivity-improving
scenarios exist, they are outweighed by the risk of data loss, phishing, and social
engineering attacks against organization users via Teams.
Some real-world attacks and exploits delivered via Teams over external access
channels include:

• DarkGate malware
• Social engineering / Phishing attacks by "Midnight Blizzard"
• GIFShell
• Username enumeration

Impact:
The impact of disabling external access to Teams and Skype for an organization is
highly dependent on current usage practices. If users infrequently communicate with
external parties using these channels, the impact is likely to be minimal. However, if
users regularly use Teams and Skype for client communication, the impact could be
significant. Therefore, before disabling external access, users should be notified, and
alternate communication mechanisms should be identified to ensure continuity of
communication.
Note: Chat with external unmanaged Teams users isn't available in GCC, GCC High, or
DOD deployments, or in private cloud environments.

Page 332
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Users select External access.
3. Under Teams and Skype for Business users in external organizations
ensure Block all external domains
o If the organization's policy allows select Allow only specific external
domains and add the allowed domains names.
4. Under Teams accounts not managed by an organization ensure the slider is set
to Off.
5. Under Skype users ensure the slider is set to Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams

2. Run the following command:

Get-CsTenantFederationConfiguration | fl
AllowTeamsConsumer,AllowPublicUsers,AllowFederatedUsers,AllowedDomains

• State: AllowTeamsConsumer is False

• State: AllowPublicUsers is False
• State: AllowFederatedUsers is False OR,
• If: AllowFederatedUsers is True then ensure AllowedDomains contains authorized
domain names.

Page 333
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com/.

2. Click to expand Users select External access.
3. Under Teams and Skype for Business users in external organizations
Select Block all external domains
o If the organization's policy allows select any allowed external domains.
4. Under Teams accounts not managed by an organization move the slider to Off.
5. Under Skype users move the slider is to Off.
6. Click Save.

To remediate using PowerShell:

• Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams

• Run the following command:

Set-CsTenantFederationConfiguration -AllowTeamsConsumer False -

AllowPublicUsers False -AllowFederatedUsers $false

• To allow only specific external domains run these commands replacing the
example domains with approved domains:

Set-CsTenantFederationConfiguration -AllowTeamsConsumer $false -

AllowPublicUsers $false -AllowFederatedUsers $true
$list = New-Object Collections.Generic.List[String]
$list.add("contoso.com")
$list.add("fabrikam.com")
Set-CsTenantFederationConfiguration -AllowedDomainsAsAList $list

Default Value:

• AllowTeamsConsumer : True
• AllowPublicUsers : True
• AllowFederatedUsers : True
• AllowedDomains : AllowAllKnownDomains

Page 334
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/skypeforbusiness/set-up-skype-for-business-
online/set-up-skype-for-business-online
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoftteams/manage-external-
access?WT.mc_id=TeamsAdminCenterCSH
3. https://cybersecurity.att.com/blogs/security-essentials/darkgate-malware-
delivered-via-microsoft-teams-detection-and-response
4. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/08/02/midnight-blizzard-
conducts-targeted-social-engineering-over-microsoft-teams/
5. https://www.bitdefender.com/blog/hotforsecurity/gifshell-attack-lets-hackers-
create-reverse-shell-through-microsoft-teams-gifs/

Page 335
Additional Information:
An additional audit method for this recommendation:
$passed = $true

$externalAccessConfig = Get-CsTenantFederationConfiguration
$externalAccessConfig | fl
AllowTeamsConsumer,AllowPublicUsers,AllowFederatedUsers

if ($externalAccessConfig.AllowTeamsConsumer) {
$passed = $false
Write-Host "*** Teams public users are allowed." -ForegroundColor Red
} else {
Write-Host "*** Teams public users are forbidden."-ForegroundColor Green
}

if ($externalAccessConfig.AllowPublicUsers) {
$passed = $false
Write-Host "*** Skype public user are allowed." -ForegroundColor Red
} else {
Write-Host "*** Skype public user are forbidden." -ForegroundColor Green
}

if ($externalAccessConfig.AllowFederatedUsers) {
if ($externalAccessConfig.AllowedDomains.AllowedDomain.count -gt 0 ) {
Write-Host ("*** External domains are allowed but limited ->
AllowedDomains = " +
$($externalAccessConfig.AllowedDomains.AllowedDomain -join (",
"))) -ForegroundColor Green
} elseif ($externalAccessConfig.BlockedDomains.count -gt 0 ) {
Write-Host ("*** External domains are allowed but limited ->
BlockedDomains = " +
$($externalAccessConfig.BlockedDomains.Domain -join (", "))) -
ForegroundColor Green
} else {
$passed = $false
Write-Host "*** External domains are allowed and NOT limited" -
ForegroundColor Red
}
} else {
Write-Host "*** External domains are forbidden" -ForegroundColor Green
}

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 336
8.3 Teams devices

This section is intentionally blank and exists to ensure the structure of the benchmark is
consistent.

Page 337
8.4 Teams apps

Page 338
8.4.1 (L1) Ensure app permission policies are configured
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting controls which class of apps are available for users to install.
Rationale:
Allowing users to install third-party or unverified apps poses a potential risk of
introducing malicious software to the environment.
Impact:
Users will only be able to install approved classes of apps.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams apps select Manage apps.
3. In the upper right click Actions > Org-wide app settings.
4. For Microsoft apps verify that Let users install and use available apps by
default is On or less permissive.
5. For Third-party apps verify Let users install and use available apps by
default is Off.
6. For Custom apps verify Let users install and use available apps by default
is Off.
7. For Custom apps verify Upload custom apps for personal use is Off.

Note: The Global Reader role is not able to view the Teams apps blade, Teams
Administrator or higher is required.

Page 339
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Teams apps select Manage apps.
3. In the upper right click Actions > Org-wide app settings.
4. For Microsoft apps set Let users install and use available apps by
default to On or less permissive.
5. For Third-party apps set Let users install and use available apps by
default to Off.
6. For Custom apps set Let users install and use available apps by default to
Off.
7. For Custom apps set Upload custom apps for personal use to Off.

Default Value:
Microsoft apps: On
Third-party apps: On
Custom apps: On
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/app-centric-management
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/step-
by-step-guides/reducing-attack-surface-in-microsoft-teams?view=o365-
worldwide#disabling-third-party--custom-apps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

2.5 Allowlist Authorized Software

v8 Use technical controls, such as application allowlisting, to ensure that only
authorized software can execute or be accessed. Reassess bi-annually, or more
● ●
frequently.

2.7 Utilize Application Whitelisting

v7 Utilize application whitelisting technology on all assets to ensure that only
authorized software executes and all unauthorized software is blocked from
●
executing on assets.

Page 340
8.5 Meetings

Page 341
8.5.1 (L2) Ensure anonymous users can't join a meeting
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
This policy setting can prevent anyone other than invited attendees (people directly
invited by the organizer, or to whom an invitation was forwarded) from bypassing the
lobby and entering the meeting.
For more information on how to setup a sensitive meeting, please visit Configure
Teams meetings with protection for sensitive data - Microsoft Teams:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/configure-meetings-sensitive-
protection
Rationale:
For meetings that could contain sensitive information, it is best to allow the meeting
organizer to vet anyone not directly sent an invite before admitting them to the meeting.
This will also prevent the anonymous user from using the meeting link to have meetings
at unscheduled times.
Note: Those companies that don't normally operate at a Level 2 environment, but do
deal with sensitive information, may want to consider this policy setting.
Impact:
Individuals who were not sent or forwarded a meeting invite will not be able to join the
meeting automatically.

Page 342
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby verify that Anonymous users can join a meeting is
set to Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl

AllowAnonymousUsersToJoinMeeting

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default)
4. Under meeting join & lobby set Anonymous users can join a meeting to Off.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -AllowAnonymousUsersToJoinMeeting

$false

Default Value:
On (True)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/configure-meetings-sensitive-
protection

Page 343
CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 344
8.5.2 (L1) Ensure anonymous users and dial-in callers can't start
a meeting (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting controls if an anonymous participant can start a Microsoft Teams
meeting without someone in attendance. Anonymous users and dial-in callers must wait
in the lobby until the meeting is started by someone in the organization or an external
user from a trusted organization.
Anonymous participants are classified as:

• Participants who are not logged in to Teams with a work or school account.
• Participants from non-trusted organizations (as configured in external access).
• Participants from organizations where there is not mutual trust.

Note: This setting only applies when Who can bypass the lobby is set to Everyone. If
the anonymous users can join a meeting organization-level setting or meeting policy is
Off, this setting only applies to dial-in callers.

Rationale:
Not allowing anonymous participants to automatically join a meeting reduces the risk of
meeting spamming.
Impact:
Anonymous participants will not be able to start a Microsoft Teams meeting.

Page 345
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby verify that Anonymous users and dial-in callers
can start a meeting is set to Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl

AllowAnonymousUsersToStartMeeting

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby set Anonymous users and dial-in callers can
start a meeting to Off.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -AllowAnonymousUsersToStartMeeting

$false

Default Value:
Off (False)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/anonymous-users-in-meetings
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoftteams/who-can-bypass-meeting-
lobby?WT.mc_id=TeamsAdminCenterCSH#overview-of-lobby-settings-and-
policies

Page 346
CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 347
8.5.3 (L1) Ensure only people in my org can bypass the lobby
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting controls who can join a meeting directly and who must wait in the
lobby until they're admitted by an organizer, co-organizer, or presenter of the meeting.
Rationale:
For meetings that could contain sensitive information, it is best to allow the meeting
organizer to vet anyone not directly sent an invite before admitting them to the meeting.
This will also prevent the anonymous user from using the meeting link to have meetings
at unscheduled times.
Impact:
Individuals who are not part of the organization will have to wait in the lobby until they're
admitted by an organizer, co-organizer, or presenter of the meeting.
Any individual who dials into the meeting regardless of status will also have to wait in
the lobby. This includes internal users who are considered unauthenticated when dialing
in.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby verify Who can bypass the lobby is set to People in
my org.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl AutoAdmittedUsers

3. Ensure the returned value is EveryoneInCompanyExcludingGuests

Page 348
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby set Who can bypass the lobby to People in my org.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -AutoAdmittedUsers

"EveryoneInCompanyExcludingGuests"

Default Value:
People in my org and guests (EveryoneInCompany)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoftteams/who-can-bypass-meeting-
lobby?WT.mc_id=TeamsAdminCenterCSH
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-
csteamsmeetingpolicy?view=skype-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control

Define and maintain role-based access control, through determining and
v8 documenting the access rights necessary for each role within the enterprise to
successfully carry out its assigned duties. Perform access control reviews of
●
enterprise assets to validate that all privileges are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum annually, or more frequently.

Page 349
8.5.4 (L1) Ensure users dialing in can't bypass the lobby
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting controls if users who dial in by phone can join the meeting directly or
must wait in the lobby. Admittance to the meeting from the lobby is authorized by the
meeting organizer, co-organizer, or presenter of the meeting.
Rationale:
For meetings that could contain sensitive information, it is best to allow the meeting
organizer to vet anyone not directly from the organization.
Impact:
Individuals who are dialing in to the meeting must wait in the lobby until a meeting
organizer, co-organizer, or presenter admits them.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby verify that People dialing in can bypass the lobby
is set to Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl AllowPSTNUsersToBypassLobby

3. Ensure the value is False.

Page 350
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting join & lobby set People dialing in can bypass the lobby to
Off.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -AllowPSTNUsersToBypassLobby $false

Default Value:
Off (False)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoftteams/who-can-bypass-meeting-
lobby?WT.mc_id=TeamsAdminCenterCSH#choose-who-can-bypass-the-lobby-
in-meetings-hosted-by-your-organization
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-
csteamsmeetingpolicy?view=skype-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 351
8.5.5 (L2) Ensure meeting chat does not allow anonymous users
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
This policy setting controls who has access to read and write chat messages during a
meeting.
Rationale:
Ensuring that only authorized individuals can read and write chat messages during a
meeting reduces the risk that a malicious user can inadvertently show content that is not
appropriate or view sensitive information.
Impact:
Only authorized individuals will be able to read and write chat messages during a
meeting.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting engagement verify that Meeting chat is set to On for everyone
but anonymous users.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl MeetingChatEnabledType

3. Ensure the returned value is EnabledExceptAnonymous.

Page 352
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting engagement set Meeting chat to On for everyone but
anonymous users.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -MeetingChatEnabledType

"EnabledExceptAnonymous"

Default Value:
On for everyone (Enabled)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-
csteamsmeetingpolicy?view=skype-ps#-meetingchatenabledtype

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 353
8.5.6 (L2) Ensure only organizers and co-organizers can present
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
This policy setting controls who can present in a Teams meeting.
Note: Organizers and co-organizers can change this setting when the meeting is set up.
Rationale:
Ensuring that only authorized individuals are able to present reduces the risk that a
malicious user can inadvertently show content that is not appropriate.
Impact:
Only organizers and co-organizers will be able to present without being granted
permission.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under content sharing verify Who can present is set to Only organizers and co-
organizers.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl DesignatedPresenterRoleMode

3. Ensure the returned value is OrganizerOnlyUserOverride.

Page 354
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under content sharing set Who can present to Only organizers and co-
organizers.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -DesignatedPresenterRoleMode

"OrganizerOnlyUserOverride"

Default Value:
Everyone (EveryoneUserOverride)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoftteams/meeting-who-present-request-
control
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/meeting-who-present-request-
control#manage-who-can-present
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/step-
by-step-guides/reducing-attack-surface-in-microsoft-teams?view=o365-
worldwide#configure-meeting-settings-restrict-presenters
4. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-
csteamsmeetingpolicy?view=skype-ps

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 355
8.5.7 (L1) Ensure external participants can't give or request
control (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This policy setting allows control of who can present in meetings and who can request
control of the presentation while a meeting is underway.
Rationale:
Ensuring that only authorized individuals and not external participants are able to
present and request control reduces the risk that a malicious user can inadvertently
show content that is not appropriate.
External participants are categorized as follows: external users, guests, and anonymous
users.
Impact:
External participants will not be able to present or request control during the meeting.
Warning: This setting also affects webinars.
Note: At this time, to give and take control of shared content during a meeting, both
parties must be using the Teams desktop client. Control isn't supported when either
party is running Teams in a browser.

Page 356
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under content sharing verify that External participants can give or request
control is Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl

AllowExternalParticipantGiveRequestControl

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under content sharing set External participants can give or request
control to Off.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -

AllowExternalParticipantGiveRequestControl $false

Default Value:
Off (False)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/meeting-who-present-request-
control
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-
csteamsmeetingpolicy?view=skype-ps

Page 357
CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 358
8.5.8 (L2) Ensure external meeting chat is off (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
This meeting policy setting controls whether users can read or write messages in
external meeting chats with untrusted organizations. If an external organization is on the
list of trusted organizations this setting will be ignored.
Rationale:
Restricting access to chat in meetings hosted by external organizations limits the
opportunity for an exploit like GIFShell or DarkGate malware from being delivered to
users.
Impact:
When joining external meetings users will be unable to read or write chat messages in
Teams meetings with organizations that they don't have a trust relationship with. This
will completely remove the chat functionality in meetings. From an I.T. perspective both
the upkeep of adding new organizations to the trusted list and the decision-making
process behind whether to trust or not trust an external partner will increase time
expenditures.
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting engagement verify that External meeting chat is set to Off.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to verify the recommended state:

Get-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global | fl

AllowExternalNonTrustedMeetingChat

3. Ensure the returned value is False.

Page 359
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Meetings select Meeting policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Under meeting engagement set External meeting chat to Off.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Run the following command to set the recommended state:

Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity Global -AllowExternalNonTrustedMeetingChat

$false

Default Value:
On(True)
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoftteams/settings-policies-
reference?WT.mc_id=TeamsAdminCenterCSH#meeting-engagement

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

16.10 Apply Secure Design Principles in Application

Architectures
Apply secure design principles in application architectures. Secure design
principles include the concept of least privilege and enforcing mediation to validate
v8 every operation that the user makes, promoting the concept of "never trust user
input." Examples include ensuring that explicit error checking is performed and
● ●
documented for all input, including for size, data type, and acceptable ranges or
formats. Secure design also means minimizing the application infrastructure attack
surface, such as turning off unprotected ports and services, removing unnecessary
programs and files, and renaming or removing default accounts.

Page 360
8.6 Messaging

Page 361
8.6.1 (L1) Ensure users can report security concerns in Teams
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
User reporting settings allow a user to report a message as malicious for further
analysis. This recommendation is composed of 3 different settings and all be configured
to pass:

• In the Teams admin center: On by default and controls whether users are able
to report messages from Teams. When this setting is turned off, users can't
report messages within Teams, so the corresponding setting in the Microsoft 365
Defender portal is irrelevant.
• In the Microsoft 365 Defender portal: On by default for new tenants. Existing
tenants need to enable it. If user reporting of messages is turned on in the
Teams admin center, it also needs to be turned on the Defender portal for user
reported messages to show up correctly on the User reported tab on the
Submissions page.
• Defender - Report message destinations: This applies to more than just
Microsoft Teams and allows for an organization to keep their reports contained.
Due to how the parameters are configured on the backend it is included in this
assessment as a requirement.

Rationale:
Users will be able to more quickly and systematically alert administrators of suspicious
malicious messages within Teams. The content of these messages may be sensitive in
nature and therefore should be kept within the organization and not shared with
Microsoft without first consulting company policy.
Note:

• The reported message remains visible to the user in the Teams client.
• Users can report the same message multiple times.
• The message sender isn't notified that messages were reported.

Page 362
Impact:
Enabling message reporting has an impact beyond just addressing security concerns.
When users of the platform report a message, the content could include messages that
are threatening or harassing in nature, possibly stemming from colleagues.
Due to this the security staff responsible for reviewing and acting on these reports
should be equipped with the skills to discern and appropriately direct such messages to
the relevant departments, such as Human Resources (HR).

Page 363
Audit:
To audit using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Messaging select Messaging policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Ensure Report a security concern is On.
5. Next, navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/
6. Click on Settings > Email & collaboration > User reported settings.
7. Scroll to Microsoft Teams.
8. Ensure Monitor reported messages in Microsoft Teams is checked.
9. Ensure Send reported messages to: is set to My reporting mailbox only with
report email addresses defined for authorized staff.

To audit using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. Run the following cmdlet for to assess Teams:

Get-CsTeamsMessagingPolicy -Identity Global | fl

AllowSecurityEndUserReporting

4. Ensure the value returned is True.

5. Run this cmdlet to assess Defender:

Get-ReportSubmissionPolicy | fl Report*

6. Ensure the output matches the following values with organization specific email
addresses:

ReportJunkToCustomizedAddress : True
ReportNotJunkToCustomizedAddress : True
ReportPhishToCustomizedAddress : True
ReportJunkAddresses : {[email protected]}
ReportNotJunkAddresses : {[email protected]}
ReportPhishAddresses : {[email protected]}
ReportChatMessageEnabled : False
ReportChatMessageToCustomizedAddressEnabled : True

Page 364
Remediation:
To remediate using the UI:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Teams admin center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com.

2. Click to expand Messaging select Messaging policies.
3. Click Global (Org-wide default).
4. Set Report a security concern to On.
5. Next, navigate to Microsoft 365 Defender https://security.microsoft.com/
6. Click on Settings > Email & collaboration > User reported settings.
7. Scroll to Microsoft Teams.
8. Check Monitor reported messages in Microsoft Teams and Save.
9. Set Send reported messages to: to My reporting mailbox only with reports
configured to be sent to authorized staff.

To remediate using PowerShell:

1. Connect to Teams PowerShell using Connect-MicrosoftTeams.

2. Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell using Connect-ExchangeOnline.
3. Run the following cmdlet:

Set-CsTeamsMessagingPolicy -Identity Global -AllowSecurityEndUserReporting

$true

4. To configure the Defender reporting policies, edit and run this script:

$usersub = "[email protected]" # Change this.

$params = @{
Identity = "DefaultReportSubmissionPolicy"
EnableReportToMicrosoft = $false
ReportChatMessageEnabled = $false
ReportChatMessageToCustomizedAddressEnabled = $true
ReportJunkToCustomizedAddress = $true
ReportNotJunkToCustomizedAddress = $true
ReportPhishToCustomizedAddress = $true
ReportJunkAddresses = $usersub
ReportNotJunkAddresses = $usersub
ReportPhishAddresses = $usersub
}

Set-ReportSubmissionPolicy @params

New-ReportSubmissionRule -Name DefaultReportSubmissionRule -

ReportSubmissionPolicy DefaultReportSubmissionPolicy -SentTo $usersub

Default Value:
On (True)
Report message destination: Microsoft Only

Page 365
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-
security/submissions-teams?view=o365-worldwide

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 366
9 Microsoft Fabric
Microsoft Fabric is Microsoft's new name for Power BI, and contains settings to
everything related to Power BI configuration.
Direct link: https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal/

Page 367
9.1 Tenant settings

Page 368
9.1.1 (L1) Ensure guest user access is restricted (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting allows business-to-business (B2B) guests access to Microsoft Fabric, and
contents that they have permissions to. With the setting turned off, B2B guest users
receive an error when trying to access Power BI.
The recommended state is Enabled for a subset of the organization or Disabled.

Rationale:
Establishing and enforcing a dedicated security group prevents unauthorized access to
Microsoft Fabric for guests collaborating in Azure that are new or assigned guest status
from other applications. This upholds the principle of least privilege and uses role-based
access control (RBAC). These security groups can also be used for tasks like
conditional access, enhancing risk management and user accountability across the
organization.
Impact:
Security groups will need to be more closely tended to and monitored.
Audit:
Ensure guest user access is restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Ensure that Guest users can access Microsoft Fabric adheres to one of these
states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Page 369
Remediation:
Restrict guest user access:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Set Guest users can access Microsoft Fabric to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Default Value:
Enabled for Entire Organization
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-export-
sharing

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control

Define and maintain role-based access control, through determining and
v8 documenting the access rights necessary for each role within the enterprise to
successfully carry out its assigned duties. Perform access control reviews of
●
enterprise assets to validate that all privileges are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum annually, or more frequently.

Page 370
9.1.2 (L1) Ensure external user invitations are restricted (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting helps organizations choose whether new external users can be invited to
the organization through Power BI sharing, permissions, and subscription experiences.
This setting only controls the ability to invite through Power BI.
The recommended state is Enabled for a subset of the organization or Disabled.
Note: To invite external users to the organization, the user must also have the Microsoft
Entra Guest Inviter role.
Rationale:
Establishing and enforcing a dedicated security group prevents unauthorized access to
Microsoft Fabric for guests collaborating in Azure that are new or assigned guest status
from other applications. This upholds the principle of least privilege and uses role-based
access control (RBAC). These security groups can also be used for tasks like
conditional access, enhancing risk management and user accountability across the
organization.
Impact:
Guest user invitations will be limited to only specific employees.
Audit:
Ensure external user invitations are restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Ensure that Users can invite guest users to collaborate through item
sharing and permissions adheres to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Page 371
Remediation:
Restrict external user invitations:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Set Users can invite guest users to collaborate through item sharing and
permissions to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Default Value:
Enabled for the entire organization
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-export-
sharing
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/service-admin-azure-ad-
b2b#invite-guest-users

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control

Define and maintain role-based access control, through determining and
v8 documenting the access rights necessary for each role within the enterprise to
successfully carry out its assigned duties. Perform access control reviews of
●
enterprise assets to validate that all privileges are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum annually, or more frequently.

Page 372
9.1.3 (L1) Ensure guest access to content is restricted (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting allows Microsoft Entra B2B guest users to have full access to the browsing
experience using the left-hand navigation pane in the organization. Guest users who
have been assigned workspace roles or specific item permissions will continue to have
those roles and/or permissions, even if this setting is disabled.
The recommended state is Enabled for a subset of the organization or Disabled.

Rationale:
Establishing and enforcing a dedicated security group prevents unauthorized access to
Microsoft Fabric for guests collaborating in Entra that are new or assigned guest status
from other applications. This upholds the principle of least privilege and uses role-based
access control (RBAC). These security groups can also be used for tasks like
conditional access, enhancing risk management and user accountability across the
organization.
Impact:
Security groups will need to be more closely tended to and monitored.
Audit:
Ensure guest user content access is restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Ensure that Guest users can browse and access Fabric content adheres to
one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Page 373
Remediation:
Restrict guest user content access:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Set Guest users can browse and access Fabric content to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Default Value:
Disabled
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-export-
sharing

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

Page 374
9.1.4 (L1) Ensure 'Publish to web' is restricted (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Power BI enables users to share reports and materials directly on the internet from both
the application's desktop version and its web user interface. This functionality generates
a publicly reachable web link that doesn't necessitate authentication or the need to be
an AAD user in order to access and view it.
The recommended state is Enabled for a subset of the organization or Disabled.

Rationale:
When using Publish to Web anyone on the Internet can view a published report or
visual. Viewing requires no authentication. It includes viewing detail-level data that your
reports aggregate. By disabling the feature, restricting access to certain users and
allowing existing embed codes organizations can mitigate the exposure of confidential
or proprietary information.
Impact:
Depending on the organization's utilization administrators may experience more
overhead managing embed codes, and requests.
Audit:
Ensure Publish to web is restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Ensure that Publish to web adheres to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Choose how embed codes work set to Only allow
existing codes AND Specific security groups selected and defined

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Page 375
Remediation:
Restrict Publish to web:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Set Publish to web to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Choose how embed codes work set to Only allow
existing codes AND Specific security groups selected and defined

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Default Value:
Enabled for the entire organization
Only allow existing codes
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-publish-to-
web
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-export-
sharing#publish-to-web

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

16.10 Apply Secure Design Principles in Application

Architectures
Apply secure design principles in application architectures. Secure design
principles include the concept of least privilege and enforcing mediation to validate
v8 every operation that the user makes, promoting the concept of "never trust user
input." Examples include ensuring that explicit error checking is performed and
● ●
documented for all input, including for size, data type, and acceptable ranges or
formats. Secure design also means minimizing the application infrastructure attack
surface, such as turning off unprotected ports and services, removing unnecessary
programs and files, and renaming or removing default accounts.

Page 376
9.1.5 (L2) Ensure 'Interact with and share R and Python' visuals is
'Disabled' (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 2
Description:
Power BI allows the integration of R and Python scripts directly into visuals. This feature
allows data visualizations by incorporating custom calculations, statistical analyses,
machine learning models, and more using R or Python scripts. Custom visuals can be
created by embedding them directly into Power BI reports. Users can then interact with
these visuals and see the results of the custom code within the Power BI interface.
Rationale:
Disabling this feature can reduce the attack surface by preventing potential malicious
code execution leading to data breaches, or unauthorized access. The potential for
sensitive or confidential data being leaked to unintended users is also increased with
the use of scripts.
Impact:
Use of R and Python scripting will require exceptions for developers, along with more
stringent code review.
Audit:
Ensure the recommended state is configured:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to R and Python visuals settings.
4. Ensure that Interact with and share R and Python visuals is Disabled

Remediation:
Configure the recommended state:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to R and Python visuals settings.
4. Set Interact with and share R and Python visuals to Disabled

Default Value:
Enabled

Page 377
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-r-python-
visuals
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/service-r-visuals
3. https://www.r-project.org/

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

Page 378
9.1.6 (L1) Ensure 'Allow users to apply sensitivity labels for
content' is 'Enabled' (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Information protection tenant settings help to protect sensitive information in the Power
BI tenant. Allowing and applying sensitivity labels to content ensures that information is
only seen and accessed by the appropriate users.
The recommended state is Enabled or Enabled for a subset of the organization.
Note: Sensitivity labels and protection are only applied to files exported to Excel,
PowerPoint, or PDF files, that are controlled by "Export to Excel" and "Export reports as
PowerPoint presentation or PDF documents" settings. All other export and sharing
options do not support the application of sensitivity labels and protection.
Note 2: There are some prerequisite steps that need to be completed in order to fully
utilize labeling. See here.
Rationale:
Establishing data classifications and affixing labels to data at creation enables
organizations to discern the data's criticality, sensitivity, and value. This initial
identification enables the implementation of appropriate protective measures, utilizing
technologies like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to avert inadvertent exposure and
enforcing access controls to safeguard against unauthorized access.
This practice can also promote user awareness and responsibility in regard to the
nature of the data they interact with. Which in turn can foster awareness in other areas
of data management across the organization.
Impact:
Additional license requirements like Power BI Pro are required, as outlined in the
Licensed and requirements page linked in the description and references sections.

Page 379
Audit:
Ensure sensitivity labels are Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Information protection.
4. Ensure that Allow users to apply sensitivity labels for content adheres to
one of these states:
o State 1: Enabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Remediation:
Enable sensitivity labels:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Information protection.
4. Set Allow users to apply sensitivity labels for content to one of these
states:
o State 1: Enabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Default Value:
Disabled
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/service-security-enable-
data-sensitivity-labels
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/service-security-dlp-
policies-for-power-bi-overview
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/service-security-enable-
data-sensitivity-labels#licensing-and-requirements

Page 380
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.2 Establish and Maintain a Data Inventory

v8 Establish and maintain a data inventory, based on the enterprise’s data
management process. Inventory sensitive data, at a minimum. Review and update
● ● ●
inventory annually, at a minimum, with a priority on sensitive data.

3.7 Establish and Maintain a Data Classification Scheme

Establish and maintain an overall data classification scheme for the enterprise.
v8 Enterprises may use labels, such as “Sensitive,” “Confidential,” and “Public,” and
classify their data according to those labels. Review and update the classification
● ●
scheme annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact
this Safeguard.

Page 381
9.1.7 (L1) Ensure shareable links are restricted (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Creating a shareable link allows a user to create a link to a report or dashboard, then
add that link to an email or another messaging application.
There are 3 options that can be selected when creating a shareable link:

• People in your organization

• People with existing access
• Specific people

This setting solely deals with restrictions to People in the organization. External
users by default are not included in any of these categories, and therefore cannot use
any of these links regardless of the state of this setting.
The recommended state is Enabled for a subset of the organization or Disabled.

Rationale:
While external users are unable to utilize shareable links, disabling or restricting this
feature ensures that a user cannot generate a link accessible by individuals within the
same organization who lack the necessary clearance to the shared data. For example,
a member of Human Resources intends to share sensitive information with a particular
employee or another colleague within their department. The owner would be prompted
to specify either People with existing access or Specific people when generating
the link requiring the person clicking the link to pass a first layer access control list. This
measure along with proper file and folder permissions can help prevent unintended
access and potential information leakage.
Impact:
If the setting is Enabled then only specific people in the organization would be allowed to
create general links viewable by the entire organization.

Page 382
Audit:
Ensure shareable links are restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Ensure that Allow shareable links to grant access to everyone in your
organization adheres to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Remediation:
Restrict shareable links:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Set Allow shareable links to grant access to everyone in your
organization to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Default Value:
Enabled for Entire Organization
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-share-
dashboards?wt.mc_id=powerbi_inproduct_sharedialog#link-settings
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-export-
sharing

Page 383
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

Page 384
9.1.8 (L1) Ensure enabling of external data sharing is restricted
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
Power BI admins can specify which users or user groups can share datasets externally
with guests from a different tenant through the in-place mechanism. Disabling this
setting prevents any user from sharing datasets externally by restricting the ability of
users to turn on external sharing for datasets they own or manage.
The recommended state is Enabled for a subset of the organization or Disabled.

Rationale:
Establishing and enforcing a dedicated security group prevents unauthorized access to
Microsoft Fabric for guests collaborating in Azure that are new or from other
applications. This upholds the principle of least privilege and uses role-based access
control (RBAC). These security groups can also be used for tasks like conditional
access, enhancing risk management and user accountability across the organization.
Impact:
Security groups will need to be more closely tended to and monitored.
Audit:
Ensure external data sharing is restricted:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Ensure that Allow specific users to turn on external data sharing adheres
to one of these states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Page 385
Remediation:
Restrict external data sharing:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Export and Sharing settings.
4. Set Allow specific users to turn on external data sharing to one of these
states:
o State 1: Disabled
o State 2: Enabled with Specific security groups selected and defined.

Important: If the organization doesn't actively use this feature it is recommended to

keep it Disabled.

Default Value:
Enabled for the entire organization
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-export-
sharing

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control

Define and maintain role-based access control, through determining and
v8 documenting the access rights necessary for each role within the enterprise to
successfully carry out its assigned duties. Perform access control reviews of
●
enterprise assets to validate that all privileges are authorized, on a recurring
schedule at a minimum annually, or more frequently.

Page 386
9.1.9 (L1) Ensure 'Block ResourceKey Authentication' is 'Enabled'
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• E3 Level 1
Description:
This setting blocks the use of resource key based authentication. The Block
ResourceKey Authentication setting applies to streaming and PUSH datasets. If blocked
users will not be allowed send data to streaming and PUSH datasets using the API with
a resource key.
The recommended state is Enabled.

Rationale:
Resource keys are a form of authentication that allows users to access Power BI
resources (such as reports, dashboards, and datasets) without requiring individual user
accounts. While convenient, this method bypasses the organization's centralized
identity and access management controls. Enabling ensures that access to Power BI
resources is tied to the organization's authentication mechanisms, providing a more
secure and controlled environment.
Impact:
Developers will need to request a special exception in order to use this feature.
Audit:
Ensure ResourceKey Authentication is Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Developer settings.
4. Ensure that Block ResourceKey Authentication is Enabled

Remediation:
Ensure ResourceKey Authentication is Enabled:

1. Navigate to Microsoft Fabric https://app.powerbi.com/admin-portal

2. Select Tenant settings.
3. Scroll to Developer settings.
4. Set Block ResourceKey Authentication to Enabled

Page 387
Default Value:
Disabled for the entire organization
References:

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/admin/service-admin-portal-developer
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-real-time-
streaming

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

Page 388
Appendix: Summary Table
CIS Benchmark Recommendation Set
Correctly

Yes No

1 Microsoft 365 admin center

1.1 Users

1.1.1 (L1) Ensure Administrative accounts are separate and  

cloud-only (Manual)

1.1.2 (L1) Ensure two emergency access accounts have been  

defined (Manual)

1.1.3 (L1) Ensure that between two and four global admins are  
designated (Automated)

1.1.4 (L1) Ensure Guest Users are reviewed at least biweekly  

(Manual)

1.2 Teams & groups

1.2.1 (L2) Ensure that only organizationally  

managed/approved public groups exist (Automated)

1.2.2 (L1) Ensure sign-in to shared mailboxes is blocked  

(Automated)

1.3 Settings

1.3.1 (L1) Ensure the 'Password expiration policy' is set to 'Set  

passwords to never expire (recommended)' (Automated)

1.3.2 (L1) Ensure 'Idle session timeout' is set to '3 hours (or  
less)' for unmanaged devices (Manual)

1.3.3 (L2) Ensure 'External sharing' of calendars is not  

available (Automated)

1.3.4 (L1) Ensure 'User owned apps and services' is restricted  

(Manual)

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1.3.5 (L1) Ensure internal phishing protection for Forms is  

enabled (Manual)

1.3.6 (L2) Ensure the customer lockbox feature is enabled  

(Automated)

1.3.7 (L2) Ensure 'third-party storage services' are restricted in  

'Microsoft 365 on the web' (Manual)

1.3.8 (L2) Ensure that Sways cannot be shared with people  

outside of your organization (Manual)

2 Microsoft 365 Defender

2.1 Email & collaboration

2.1.1 (L2) Ensure Safe Links for Office Applications is Enabled  

(Automated)

2.1.2 (L1) Ensure the Common Attachment Types Filter is  

enabled (Automated)

2.1.3 (L1) Ensure notifications for internal users sending  

malware is Enabled (Automated)

2.1.4 (L2) Ensure Safe Attachments policy is enabled  

(Automated)

2.1.5 (L2) Ensure Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive,  

and Microsoft Teams is Enabled (Automated)

2.1.6 (L1) Ensure Exchange Online Spam Policies are set to  

notify administrators (Automated)

2.1.7 (L1) Ensure that an anti-phishing policy has been  

created (Automated)

2.1.8 (L1) Ensure that SPF records are published for all  
Exchange Domains (Manual)

2.1.9 (L1) Ensure that DKIM is enabled for all Exchange  

Online Domains (Automated)

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2.1.10 (L1) Ensure DMARC Records for all Exchange Online  

domains are published (Manual)

2.1.11 (L1) Ensure the spoofed domains report is reviewed  

weekly (Manual)

2.1.12 (L1) Ensure the 'Restricted entities' report is reviewed  

weekly (Manual)

2.1.13 (L1) Ensure malware trends are reviewed at least weekly  

(Manual)

2.1.14 (L2) Ensure comprehensive attachment filtering is  

applied (Automated)

2.2 Cloud apps

2.3 Audit

2.3.1 (L1) Ensure the Account Provisioning Activity report is  

reviewed at least weekly (Manual)

2.3.2 (L1) Ensure non-global administrator role group  

assignments are reviewed at least weekly (Manual)

2.4 Settings

2.4.1 (L1) Ensure Priority account protection is enabled and  

configured (Manual)

2.4.2 (L1) Ensure Priority accounts have 'Strict protection'  

presets applied (Manual)

2.4.3 (L2) Ensure Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is  

enabled and configured (Manual)

2.4.4 (L1) Ensure Zero-hour auto purge for Microsoft Teams is  

on (Automated)

3 Microsoft Purview

3.1 Audit

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3.1.1 (L1) Ensure Microsoft 365 audit log search is Enabled  

(Automated)

3.1.2 (L1) Ensure user role group changes are reviewed at  

least weekly (Manual)

3.2 Data loss protection

3.2.1 (L1) Ensure DLP policies are enabled (Manual)  

3.2.2 (L1) Ensure DLP policies are enabled for Microsoft  

Teams (Manual)

3.3 Information Protection

3.3.1 (L1) Ensure SharePoint Online Information Protection  

policies are set up and used (Manual)

4 Microsoft Intune admin center

5 Microsoft Entra admin center

5.1 Identity

5.1.1 Overview

5.1.1.1 (L1) Ensure Security Defaults is disabled on Azure  

Active Directory (Manual)

5.1.2 Users

5.1.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'Per-user MFA' is disabled (Manual)  

5.1.2.2 (L2) Ensure third party integrated applications are not  

allowed (Automated)

5.1.2.3 (L1) Ensure 'Restrict non-admin users from creating  

tenants' is set to 'Yes' (Automated)

5.1.2.4 (L1) Ensure 'Restrict access to the Azure AD  

administration portal' is set to 'Yes' (Manual)

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5.1.2.5 (L2) Ensure the option to remain signed in is hidden  

(Manual)

5.1.2.6 (L2) Ensure 'LinkedIn account connections' is disabled  

(Manual)

5.1.3 Groups

5.1.3.1 (L1) Ensure a dynamic group for guest users is created  

(Automated)

5.1.4 Devices

5.1.5 Applications

5.1.5.1 (L1) Ensure the Application Usage report is reviewed at  

least weekly (Manual)

5.1.5.2 (L2) Ensure user consent to apps accessing company  

data on their behalf is not allowed (Automated)

5.1.5.3 (L1) Ensure the admin consent workflow is enabled  

(Manual)

5.1.6 External Identities

5.1.6.1 (L2) Ensure that collaboration invitations are sent to  

allowed domains only (Manual)

5.1.7 User experiences

5.1.8 Hybrid management

5.1.8.1 (L1) Ensure that password hash sync is enabled for  

hybrid deployments (Automated)

5.2 Protection

5.2.1 Identity Protection

5.2.2 Conditional Access

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5.2.2.1 (L1) Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all  

users in administrative roles (Manual)

5.2.2.2 (L1) Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all  

users (Manual)

5.2.2.3 (L1) Enable Conditional Access policies to block legacy  

authentication (Manual)

5.2.2.4 (L1) Ensure Sign-in frequency is enabled and browser  

sessions are not persistent for Administrative users
(Manual)

5.2.2.5 (L2) Ensure 'Phishing-resistant MFA strength' is required  

for Administrators (Manual)

5.2.2.6 (L2) Enable Azure AD Identity Protection user risk  

policies (Manual)

5.2.2.7 (L2) Enable Azure AD Identity Protection sign-in risk  

policies (Manual)

5.2.2.8 (L1) Ensure admin center access is limited to  

administrative roles (Manual)

5.2.3 Authentication Methods

5.2.3.1 (L1) Ensure Microsoft Authenticator is configured to  

protect against MFA fatigue (Manual)

5.2.3.2 (L1) Ensure custom banned passwords lists are used  

(Manual)

5.2.3.3 (L1) Ensure password protection is enabled for on-prem  

Active Directory (Manual)

5.2.3.4 (L1) Ensure all member users are 'MFA capable'  

(Manual)

5.2.4 Password reset

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5.2.4.1 (L1) Ensure 'Self service password reset enabled' is set  

to 'All' (Manual)

5.2.4.2 (L1) Ensure the self-service password reset activity  

report is reviewed at least weekly (Manual)

5.2.5 Custom security attributes

5.2.6 Risky activities

5.2.6.1 (L1) Ensure the Azure AD 'Risky sign-ins' report is  

reviewed at least weekly (Manual)

5.3 Identity Governance

5.3.1 (L2) Ensure 'Privileged Identity Management' is used to  

manage roles (Manual)

5.3.2 (L1) Ensure 'Access reviews' for Guest Users are  

configured (Manual)

5.3.3 (L1) Ensure 'Access reviews' for high privileged Azure  

AD roles are configured (Manual)

6 Exchange admin center

6.1 Audit

6.1.1 (L1) Ensure 'AuditDisabled' organizationally is set to  

'False' (Automated)

6.1.2 (L1) Ensure mailbox auditing for E3 users is Enabled  

(Automated)

6.1.3 (L1) Ensure mailbox auditing for E5 users is Enabled  

(Automated)

6.1.4 (L1) Ensure 'AuditBypassEnabled' is not enabled on  

mailboxes (Manual)

6.2 Mail flow

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6.2.1 (L1) Ensure all forms of mail forwarding are blocked  

and/or disabled (Automated)

6.2.2 (L1) Ensure mail transport rules do not whitelist specific  

domains (Automated)

6.2.3 (L1) Ensure email from external senders is identified  

(Automated)

6.3 Roles

6.3.1 (L2) Ensure users installing Outlook add-ins is not  

allowed (Automated)

6.4 Reports

6.4.1 (L1) Ensure mail forwarding rules are reviewed at least  

weekly (Manual)

6.5 Settings

6.5.1 (L1) Ensure modern authentication for Exchange Online  

is enabled (Automated)

6.5.2 (L1) Ensure MailTips are enabled for end users  

(Automated)

6.5.3 (L2) Ensure additional storage providers are restricted in  

Outlook on the web (Automated)

7 SharePoint admin center

7.1 Sites

7.2 Policies

7.2.1 (L1) Ensure modern authentication for SharePoint  

applications is required (Automated)

7.2.2 (L1) Ensure SharePoint and OneDrive integration with  

Azure AD B2B is enabled (Automated)

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7.2.3 (L1) Ensure external content sharing is restricted  

(Automated)

7.2.4 (L2) Ensure OneDrive content sharing is restricted  

(Automated)

7.2.5 (L2) Ensure that SharePoint guest users cannot share  

items they don't own (Automated)

7.2.6 (L2) Ensure SharePoint external sharing is managed  

through domain whitelist/blacklists (Automated)

7.2.7 (L1) Ensure link sharing is restricted in SharePoint and  

OneDrive (Automated)

7.2.8 (L2) Ensure external sharing is restricted by security  

group (Manual)

7.2.9 (L1) Ensure guest access to a site or OneDrive will  

expire automatically (Automated)

7.2.10 (L1) Ensure reauthentication with verification code is  

restricted (Automated)

7.3 Settings

7.3.1 (L2) Ensure Office 365 SharePoint infected files are  

disallowed for download (Automated)

7.3.2 (L2) Ensure OneDrive sync is restricted for unmanaged  

devices (Automated)

7.3.3 (L1) Ensure custom script execution is restricted on  

personal sites (Manual)

7.3.4 (L1) Ensure custom script execution is restricted on site  

collections (Automated)

8 Microsoft Teams admin center

8.1 Teams

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8.1.1 (L2) Ensure external file sharing in Teams is enabled for  

only approved cloud storage services (Automated)

8.1.2 (L1) Ensure users can't send emails to a channel email  

address (Automated)

8.2 Users

8.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'external access' is restricted in the Teams  

admin center (Automated)

8.3 Teams devices

8.4 Teams apps

8.4.1 (L1) Ensure app permission policies are configured  

(Manual)

8.5 Meetings

8.5.1 (L2) Ensure anonymous users can't join a meeting  

(Automated)

8.5.2 (L1) Ensure anonymous users and dial-in callers can't  

start a meeting (Automated)

8.5.3 (L1) Ensure only people in my org can bypass the lobby  
(Automated)

8.5.4 (L1) Ensure users dialing in can't bypass the lobby  

(Automated)

8.5.5 (L2) Ensure meeting chat does not allow anonymous  

users (Automated)

8.5.6 (L2) Ensure only organizers and co-organizers can  

present (Automated)

8.5.7 (L1) Ensure external participants can't give or request  

control (Automated)

8.5.8 (L2) Ensure external meeting chat is off (Automated)  

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8.6 Messaging

8.6.1 (L1) Ensure users can report security concerns in Teams  

(Automated)

9 Microsoft Fabric

9.1 Tenant settings

9.1.1 (L1) Ensure guest user access is restricted (Manual)  

9.1.2 (L1) Ensure external user invitations are restricted  

(Manual)

9.1.3 (L1) Ensure guest access to content is restricted  

(Manual)

9.1.4 (L1) Ensure 'Publish to web' is restricted (Manual)  

9.1.5 (L2) Ensure 'Interact with and share R and Python'  

visuals is 'Disabled' (Manual)

9.1.6 (L1) Ensure 'Allow users to apply sensitivity labels for  

content' is 'Enabled' (Manual)

9.1.7 (L1) Ensure shareable links are restricted (Manual)  

9.1.8 (L1) Ensure enabling of external data sharing is  

restricted (Manual)

9.1.9 (L1) Ensure 'Block ResourceKey Authentication' is  

'Enabled' (Manual)

Page 399
Appendix: Change History
Date Version Changes for this version

3/15/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Cannot audit LinkedIn Contact sync

programmatically - Make Manual
Ticket #15139

3/22/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - API is available to assess Password Protection

Ticket #14800

3/24/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Audit Procedure Wording for skype/teams

Ticket #15103

3/24/2022 1.5.0 MOVED - Ensure Safe Links for Office Applications is Enabled
moved under section 2 - ensure safe links for office apps.
Ticket #15026

3/24/2022 1.5.0 MOVED - What is difference between the checks 4.5 and 2.3 ?
(Safe Links for Exchange and Office Apps)
Ticket #14991

5/17/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Safe Links Policy cmdlet: the parameter 'IsEnabled'
is no longer supported.
Ticket #15493

5/17/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Remove AdminAuditLogEnabled - ON-PREM only

command
Ticket #15109

5/20/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Audit DLP for Teams via PowerShell

Ticket #14990

6/27/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Parameter AllowClickThrough is deprecated for

SafeLinksPolicy
Ticket #14992

Page 400
Date Version Changes for this version

7/25/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - PowerShell cmdlet for assessing password hash

sync
Ticket #15022

7/28/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Only works in the new Exchange Admin center,
Fixed PS remediation
Ticket #15972

8/2/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Clarify breadth of report

Ticket #16097

8/4/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - PowerShell guidance, Role Name to Role Object ID

Ticket #16125

8/4/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Missing a step

Ticket #15967

8/4/2022 1.5.0 REMOVE - Ensure modern authentication for Skype for

Business Online is enabled
Ticket #15719

8/5/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Improve PowerShell Audit Procedure guidance

Ticket #15970

8/5/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Block OneDrive, clarify scope and accuracy of

recommendation
Ticket #16147

8/5/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - PS cmdlet correction

Ticket #16140

8/8/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - DLP settings found in SecureScore Portal/API

Ticket #13747

8/8/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - 'Ensure the option to stay signed in' Audit and
Remediation steps
Ticket #16016

Page 401
Date Version Changes for this version

8/12/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Provide more detailed path for audit

Ticket #15968

8/12/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Safe Links Audit+Remediation Ticket #16025

8/12/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Connect-EXOPSSession V1 cmdlet replaced with

V2 Connect-ExchangeOnline
Ticket #15942

8/12/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Ensure the spoofed domains report is reviewed

weekly
Ticket #15317

8/12/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Microsoft Compliance became Microsoft Purview

Ticket #15432

8/12/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Fix rationale

Ticket #16107

8/15/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Role group changes procedures

Ticket #16037

8/15/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Password hash sync audit procedure

Ticket #16184

8/15/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - change 'unlicensed' to 'un-assigned' to clarify the

point that 'apps' are not assigned.
Ticket #15015

8/15/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Implement Spam Filter Policy w/transport rule to

simplify
Ticket #14642

8/15/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Modern Authentication Clients option no longer listed

Ticket #15318

8/15/2022 1.5.0 REMOVE - Non-Owners Report is deprecated

Ticket #16195

Page 402
Date Version Changes for this version

8/16/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Ensure notifications for internal users sending

malware is Enabled should be check for Default Policy or for all
polices
Ticket #15725

8/18/2022 1.5.0 UPDATE - Ensure Safe Links for Office Applications is Enabled
Ticket #15482

10/17/2022 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Azure AD Risky sign-ins report' moved to E5 profile

Ticket #16420

11/14/2022 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Multifactor authentication is enabled for all users'

move to L1
Ticket #16974

1/10/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'SSPR' to include more information on Combined

Registration
Ticket #16421

1/20/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Passwords Are Not Set to Expire' to MgGraph

Ticket #17399

1/20/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Security defaults' Included MgGraph method

Ticket #16469

1/20/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE- 'Security Defaults' Order and remediation info

Ticket #16331

1/24/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'External file sharing in Teams' Remove skype

references, update remediation
Ticket #17470

1/24/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Password hash sync' to use MgGraph

Ticket #16455

1/30/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Guest Users are reviewed at least biweekly' For
MgGraph
Ticket #17522

Page 403
Date Version Changes for this version

2/7/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Ensure between two and four global admins' Update
MSOL
Ticket #16456

2/9/2023 2.0.0 ADD - New recommendation for users tagged as priority

accounts
Ticket #16472

2/9/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Strict protection preset for Priority accounts'

Ticket #17646

2/9/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps'

Ticket #16479

2/10/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Restrict access to the Azure AD administration portal' is

set to 'Yes'
Ticket #17153

2/10/2023 2.0.0 ADD - `Microsoft Azure Management restrictions'

Ticket #17659

2/10/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'MFA for all admins' Define list of directory roles
Ticket #16275

2/14/2023 2.0.0 ADD - ' Microsoft Authenticator is configured to protect against

MFA fatigue'
Ticket #16976

2/14/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Ensure 'Phishing-resistant MFA strength' is required for

Administrators`
Ticket #16975

2/14/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Idle session timeout'

Ticket #16470

2/15/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Ensure custom banned passwords lists are used'
Ticket #17699

Page 404
Date Version Changes for this version

2/15/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Block legacy authentication' to include more on

Impact
Ticket #16422

2/16/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'DKIM for Exchange Online' = Audit/Remediation

procedure
Ticket #17311

2/16/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Mail forwarding rules review..' remove MSOL

dependency
Ticket #17520

2/16/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'option to remain signed in is hidden' Moved to

Entra.
Ticket #17252

2/16/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Safe links policy' define all settings, and fix
PowerShell remediation
Ticket #16460

2/17/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Restrict non-admin users from creating tenants'

Ticket #17033

2/17/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Admin consent workflow' Change to L1

Ticket #17720

2/17/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Disallow download of infected files in SharePoint'

Added note about roles
Ticket #16488

2/17/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'User installs of Outlook add-ins' PowerShell

remediation
Ticket #17708

2/22/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'DLP policies are enabled for Teams' Included note
about Connect-IPPSSession
Ticket #17711

Page 405
Date Version Changes for this version

2/22/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'SharePoint guest restrictions' to include defaults

Ticket #17736

2/28/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Role group change reviews' Fixed PowerShell

method
Ticket #17786

3/2/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Microsoft 365 on the web restrictions'

Ticket #17803

3/2/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'External storage provides'

Ticket #16487

3/2/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Review the restricted entities report' added PS

method
Ticket #17801

3/6/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Access reviews for Guests E5'

Ticket #14853

3/6/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Teams external access restrictions' Add PowerShell

methods
Ticket #16486

3/6/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'User consent to apps' removed MSOL methods

Ticket #17469

3/7/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Ensure al forms of mail forwarding are blocked'

Changed to two steps for equal coverage
Ticket #16459

3/7/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'anti-phishing policy' determine baseline settings in

audit section
Ticket #17719

3/8/2023 2.0.0 REMOVE - 'Removed Endpoint Manager recommendations'

Ticket #17834

Page 406
Date Version Changes for this version

3/8/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'External sharing of calendars' additional script to

check for published calendars
Ticket #17820

3/8/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Mobile device requirements' compliance policy

Ticket #16970

3/9/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'SharePoint and OneDrive integration with Azure AD

B2B'
Ticket #17034

3/12/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Risky sign-ins report' removed bad request in Graph
Explorer
Ticket #16404

3/13/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'collaboration invitations' to include notes about

sharing
Ticket #16854

3/14/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Ensure two Emergency Access accounts have been
defined'
Ticket #16891

3/15/2023 2.0.0 ADD - 'Access reviews for high privileged Azure AD roles'
Ticket #17863

3/15/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Application usage report' To include step for "Usage
& insights"
Ticket #17784

3/15/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Just in time privileged access' Title change to

Privileged Identity Management
Ticket #17875

3/15/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - 'Sign-in frequency and persistence'

Ticket #17613

Page 407
Date Version Changes for this version

3/15/2023 2.0.0 UPDATE - URLS in references sections to adjust for

redirections, and length
Ticket #17930
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure external user invitations are restricted

Ticket #19537
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Entra] 'Ensure a dynamic group for guest users is
created'

Ticket #19532
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Exchange] 'Ensure 'AuditBypassEnabled' is not enabled
on user mailboxes'

Ticket #16473
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Exchange] 'Ensure `AuditDisabled` for the organization
is set to `False`

Ticket #19517
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Exchange] 'Ensure email from external senders is
identified'

Ticket #18286
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Exchange] 'Ensure mailbox auditing for E3 users is
Enabled Draft'

Ticket #19819
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [M365] 'Ensure Per-user MFA is disabled'

Ticket #18465
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [M365] 'Ensure sign-in to shared mailboxes is blocked'

Ticket #18280
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure 'Block ResourceKey Authentication' is
Enabled'

Ticket #19538
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure 'Allow users to apply sensitivity labels
for content' is 'Enabled'

Ticket #19540

Page 408
Date Version Changes for this version
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure 'Interact with and share R and Python
visuals' is 'Disabled''

Ticket #19539
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure 'Publish to web' is restricted'

Ticket #19536
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure AAD guest access to content is
restricted'

Ticket #19535
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure AAD guest user access is restricted'

Ticket #19533
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure enabling of external data sharing is
restricted'

Ticket #19534
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [PowerBI] 'Ensure shareable links are restricted'

Ticket #19541
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure OneDrive content sharing is
restricted Draft'

Ticket #19718
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure custom script execution is restricted
on personal sites'

Ticket #19723
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure custom script execution is restricted
on site collections'

Ticket #19738
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure external content sharing is
restricted'

Ticket #19719
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure external sharing is restricted by
security group '

Ticket #19720

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Date Version Changes for this version
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure guest access to a site or OneDrive
will expire automatically'

Ticket #19721
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure link sharing is restricted in
SharePoint and OneDrive'

Ticket #19717
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [SharePoint] 'Ensure reauthentication with verification
codes is restricted'

Ticket #19722
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure anonymous users and dial-in callers
can't start a meeting'

Ticket #19665
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure anonymous users can't join a meeting'

Ticket #19664
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure app permission policies are configured'

Ticket #19663
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure external participants can't give or
request control'

Ticket #19670
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure meeting chat does not allow
anonymous users'

Ticket #19668
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure only organizers and co-organizers can
present'

Ticket #19669
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure only people in my org can bypass the
lobby'

Ticket #19666
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure users can report security concerns in
Teams'

Ticket #19575

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Date Version Changes for this version
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure users can't send emails to a channel
email address'

Ticket #19661
9/29/2023 3.0.0 ADD - [Teams] 'Ensure users dialing in can't bypass the lobby'

Ticket #19667
9/29/2023 3.0.0 REMOVE - [SharePoint] '(L1) Ensure expiration time for
external sharing links is set'

Ticket #19497
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - 'Ensure Administrative accounts are separate and
cloud-only' - Included important note about alerts

Ticket #18728
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Defender] 'Ensure Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Apps is enabled and configured' - UI instructions updated due
to integration of legacy portal into Defender.

Ticket #18085
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Defender] 'Safe Attachments for SharePoint,
OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams is Enabled' –

Include check for Safe Documents setting Ticket #18412

9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Entra] ' Ensure user consent to apps accessing
company data on their behalf is not allowed' Changed to
manual assessment status

Ticket #19711
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 'Ensure 'Microsoft Azure Management' is
limited to administrative roles' - Add impact information about
PIM

Ticket #19542
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 'Ensure users installing Outlook add-ins is
not allowed' - Updated UI instructions

Ticket #19496
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 'Sign-in risk policy' - Specify user risk levels
and session control

Ticket #18083

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Date Version Changes for this version
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 'User risk policy' - Specify user risk level, and
session control

Ticket #18084
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Entra] Ensure 'Restrict non-admin users from
creating tenants' - Graph cmdlet is no longer beta, switch to
automated assessment

Ticket #19753
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Exchange] 'Ensure mailbox auditing for E5 users is
Enabled' - Add audit script, update remediation script

Ticket #19642
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [Exchange] 'Ensure mailbox auditing for E5 users is
Enabled' - Fixed critical issue in remediation script

Ticket #19249
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [M365] 'Ensure 'third-party storage services' are
restricted in 'Microsoft 365 on the web'' - Assessment status
changed to Manual

Ticket #19712
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [M365] 'Ensure that Sways cannot be shared with
people outside of your organization' - Move to L2

Ticket #19059
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [M365] 'Idle session timeout' is set to '1 hour (or
less)' for unmanaged devices - Change value to 3 hours

Ticket #19346
9/29/2023 3.0.0 UPDATE - [SharePoint] 'Ensure SharePoint and OneDrive
integration with Azure AD B2B is enabled' Change status to
Automated

Ticket #19709
4/29/2024 3.1.0 ADD - [Teams] 8.5.8 '(L2) Ensure external meeting chat is off'

Ticket #20237
4/29/2024 3.1.0 ADD - [Defender] '2.4.4 (L1) Ensure Zero-hour auto purge for
Microsoft Teams is on'

Ticket #18256

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Date Version Changes for this version
4/29/2024 3.1.0 ADD - [Defender] 'Ensure comprehensive attachment filtering is
applied'

Ticket #16477
4/29/2024 3.1.0 ADD - [Entra] 5.2.3.4 '(L1) Ensure all member users are 'MFA
capable''

Ticket #16466
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Teams] 'Ensure meeting chat does not allow
anonymous users' - Change to Level 2

Ticket #20416
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Teams] 'Ensure only organizers and co-organizers
can present' - Change to Level 2

Ticket #20415
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Defender] 2.1.10 'Ensure DMARC Records for all
Exchange Online domains are published' - Additional
requirements for dmarc values and MOERA added

Ticket #18261
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Defender] 2.1.13 '(L1) Ensure malware trends are
reviewed at least weekly' - Changed title name

Ticket #20626
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Defender] 2.1.8 (L1) Ensure that SPF records are
published for all Exchange Domains - Change audit to use
PowerShell instead of nslookup

Ticket #21124
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.1.2.1 (L1) Ensure 'Per-user MFA' is
disabled - Remove MSOL audit script due to deprecation

Ticket #20742
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.1.2.2 `(L2) Ensure third party integrated
applications are not allowed ` - Added PowerShell methods

Ticket #20047
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.1.3.1 '(L1) Ensure a dynamic group for
guest users is created' - Changed assessment status to
Automated

Ticket #21268

Page 413
Date Version Changes for this version
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.1.5.2 '(L2) Ensure user consent to apps
accessing company data on their behalf is not allowed' - Add
PowerShell audit method

Ticket #20369
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.1.6.1 '(L2) Ensure that collaboration
invitations are sent to allowed domains only' - Fixed confusing
language in the audit/remediation

Ticket #21259
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.2.2.1 '(L1) Ensure multifactor authentication
is enabled for all users in administrative role' - Added "All could
apps" to audit section

Ticket #20225
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.2.2.2 '(L1) Ensure multifactor authentication
is enabled for all users Draft' - Added All Cloud apps to audit
procedure and clarified steps

Ticket #20224
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.2.2.5 '(L2) Ensure 'Phishing-resistant MFA
strength' is required for Administrators' - Add additional item to
impact statement

Ticket #20775
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.2.2.8 `(L1) Ensure admin center access is
limited to administrative roles' - Title change and changed app
to Microsoft Admin Portals

Ticket #18965
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.2.3.1 '(L1) Ensure Microsoft Authenticator
is configured to protect against MFA fatigue' - Added guidance
for exclusions

Ticket #19856
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Entra] 5.3.1 '(L2) Ensure 'Privileged Identity
Management' is used to manage roles' - Add additional roles to
the list

Ticket #20258
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [EXO] 6.2.1 '(L1) Ensure all forms of mail forwarding
are blocked and/or disabled' - Include PSH methods for Step 2

Ticket #19710

Page 414
Date Version Changes for this version
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [EXO] 6.3.1 '(L2) Ensure users installing Outlook
add-ins is not allowed' - Note added in audit about global
readers

Ticket #21057
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [EXO] 6.5.2 '(L1) Ensure MailTips are enabled for
end users' - Moved to Level 1

Ticket #20257
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [M365] 1.1.2 '(L1) Ensure two emergency access
accounts have been defined' - Add additional note on
management of emergency accounts

Ticket #19357
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [M365] 1.2.2 '(L1) Ensure sign-in to shared
mailboxes is blocked Draft' - Uses Graph instead of AzureAD
PowerShell now

Ticket #20153
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [M365] 1.3.3 '(L2) Ensure 'External sharing' of
calendars is not available' - Change PowerShell method to
target default policy

Ticket #21284
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [PowerBi] '9.1.1 (L1) Ensure guest user access is
restricted Draft' - Name of setting changed

Ticket #20954
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [PowerBi] '9.1.2 (L1) Ensure external user invitations
are restricted' - Name of setting changed

Ticket #20955
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [PowerBi] '9.1.3 (L1) Ensure guest access to content
is restricted Draft' - Name of setting changed

Ticket #20956
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Purview] 3.2.2 '(L1) Ensure DLP policies are
enabled for Microsoft Teams' - Overhaul audit steps and added
additional notes about DLP

Ticket #19831

Page 415
Date Version Changes for this version
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [SharePoint] 7.2.4 '(L2) Ensure OneDrive content
sharing is restricted' - Included alternate PowerShell cmdlets
and notes

Ticket #21034
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [SharePoint] 7.3.4 '(L1) Ensure custom script
execution is restricted on site collections' - Audit procedure now
returns only sites that fail

Ticket #20419
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Teams] 8.2.1 'Ensure 'external access' is restricted
in the Teams admin center' - Move to Level 1 profile

Ticket #20242
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Teams] 8.4.1 '(L1) Ensure app permission policies
are configured' - Changed instructions to use new app centric
management

Ticket #20815
4/29/2024 3.1.0 UPDATE - [Teams] 8.5.3 '(L1) Ensure only people in my org
can bypass the lobby' - Added to impact statement

Ticket #21267

Page 416