Your customers need Entra ID to manage who has access to applications, networks and more in your environment. Are you backing up this data? Microsoft isn’t.
Entra ID: A gateway to your customer’s environment
Entra ID, previously known as Azure Active Directory, is Microsoft’s Identity and Access Management (IAM) tool. It offers authentication and authorization services and controls who has access to various resources within an environment.
But what happens if your Entra ID data is attacked or otherwise compromised? You can imagine the disruption that would be caused by everyone in your environment not being able to access the applications, networks, groups they need to do their jobs.
One significant challenge MSPs face with clients who use Microsoft 365, Azure, and other SaaS solutions is that they may not fully grasp the shared responsibility model for security. Microsoft explicitly states that clients are responsible for securing and backing up their data and identities and that Microsoft is not liable for lost data. Microsoft also only retains Entra ID data for a rolling 30 days – and attackers know this. If Entra ID is compromised, attackers can modify security settings and delete or lock data, which would grind client operations to a halt. Attackers know how valuable Entra ID data is and so they use this as a lever to get their demands met.
Industry Researchers have found vulnerabilities in the Entra ID platform, called UnOAuthorized, that can put these credentials and network access at risk. The identified vulnerabilities center on the OAuth 2.0 scope permissions and could allow attackers to elevate privileges, remove users from privileged roles, and even change global administrators. Attackers could then achieve lateral access across Microsoft 365, Azure, and related or connected applications. In other words, a successful exploit of this issue essentially hands criminals the keys to the kingdom regarding cloud resources and apps.
For MSPs, the Entra ID vulnerability highlights the need for robust security solutions as well as cloud-based backup and restoration.
According to a recent Barracuda webinar, 71% of SMBs have experienced a ransomware attack in the past year, and Microsoft accounts are attacked nearly 4,000 times per second worldwide. Microsoft platforms are attractive targets because they are ubiquitous across businesses, and if you can breach these systems, you can access a bounty of credentials, data, and other valuable targets.
Beyond cyberattacks: The human factor in data loss
However, cyberattacks aren’t the only risk for cloud-based systems. IT staff may make disastrous mistakes when responding to problems or installing updates. If Entra ID data is deleted and can’t be restored, that can result in costly downtime until the Entra ID data is reconstructed. MSPs should emphasize the need for backup and recovery of Entra ID data, highlighting the value of cybersecurity and IT labor.
Solutions like Barracuda Entra ID Backup and Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup can provide that crucial Entra ID protection. These solutions offer a cost-effective and straightforward approach to safeguarding data and credentials. Barracuda Entra ID Backup can backup and recover Entra ID data in an easy-to-use SaaS solution. Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud can store and retrieve Microsoft 365 data such as Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams, and it also includes Entra ID Backup.
As cloud-based solutions like Microsoft 365 and Entra ID become more widely used, cybercriminals (aided by artificial intelligence and other technologies) will exploit any vulnerabilities they can identify. Cloud backup solutions that protect client data and other assets are vital to the toolset that MSPs should leverage to protect their customers.
