Shows
Entra.ChatAutomating Governance: The New Standard for Microsoft 365 Tenant Snapshots and RemediationGovernance in Microsoft 365 has always been hard. Not because the tools didn’t exist, but because scale, complexity, and change made consistency almost impossible. As tenants grow, so do the challenges of configuration drift, manual admin changes, and inconsistent environments.For years, admins have relied on scripts, tribal knowledge, and community-led solutions like Microsoft 365 Desired State Configuration (M365DSC) to manage this “policy sprawl”. While M365DSC was a groundbreaking open-source effort, it often faced a steep learning curve and lacked official Microsoft support.Until now.In this episode of Entra Chat, we sit do...
2026-02-0747 min
Entra.ChatMastering Microsoft Entra ID: Real-World Passkey Deployment TipsIn this episode, we sit down with Eric Woodruff, Chief Identity Architect at Semperis, to discuss the reality of achieving a 100% phishing-resistant environment. Over the course of just three months, Eric led a 600-person organization through a complete rollout of passkeys, Windows Hello for Business, and Platform SSO. This conversation moves beyond the technical “knobs and dials” to explore why organizational change management and C-suite buy-in are the true foundations of a successful identity modernization project.Eric shares the creative strategies his team used to drive adoption, including a custom self-enrollment portal built with Power Platform that allo...
2026-01-3145 min
Entra.ChatEntra Agent Registry: The Corporate Yellow Pages for AI AgentsService principals worked for static apps, but AI agents are different—they make autonomous decisions using LLMs and require a new approach to identity and security.In this episode of Entra Chat, Padma Parthasarathy, Product Manager for Microsoft Entra Agent Registry, explains why Microsoft created Entra Agent Registry and Agent ID, and how they provide identity, governance, and security for AI agents.We cover agent collections, discovery policies, integration with identity protection, and how custom security attributes automate AI agent governance at scale. You’ll also see how agents discover other agents by skills, how glob...
2026-01-1650 min
Entra.ChatGlobal Secure Access Explained: Real-World Rollouts, Mistakes, and Best PracticesIn this episode, I’m joined by Christopher Brumm from glueckkanja to discuss real-world experiences deploying Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access (GSA).We go beyond the docs to talk about actual customer rollouts, scaling challenges, retiring VPNs, and what teams often underestimate when moving to Zero Trust Network Access.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Christopher BrummChristopher Brumm is a Cyber Security Architect at glueckkanja AG in Germany. With more than 15 years of experience in IT security, Chris brings deep expertise and hands-on knowledge across the M...
2026-01-1055 min
Entra.ChatCybersecurity First Principles: Lessons from a 20-Year Microsoft MVPNicolas Blank, Founder of NBConsult and a 20-year Microsoft MVP, joins the show to dismantle the complexity around Zero Trust.Most Zero Trust conversations fail because they start with technology. Nicolas flips the script by using powerful everyday analogies (locking your car, protecting your newborn) to land the three core principles with executives.Essential watching for anyone implementing Zero Trust, securing Microsoft 365/Entra ID, or needing leadership support in 2026.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Nicholas BlankNicolas is the founder, as well an arc...
2026-01-0444 min
Entra.ChatIdentity-Centric Network Security: Entra Global Secure Access Architecture & BenefitsIs the traditional VPN dead? In the latest episode of Entra Chat, we dive deep Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access (GSA).Joined by Karen Simmel from the GSA product team and Thomas from the Entra CXE Architecture team, we explore how Microsoft is bridging the gap between identity and network security.The Shift from VPN to SASEThe "good old days" of spinning up firewalls and DMZs are fading. Traditional controls are often too coarse-grained and lack identity awareness. As Thomas explains, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for change when traditional VPN gateways physically couldn't handle the load of...
2025-12-2857 min
Entra.ChatHow to Kill SMS MFA in Entra ID Without a Single ScriptLouis Mastelinck, a Microsoft MVP and Security Consultant at Proximus NXT, joins me to discuss the critical journey of moving organizations away from SMS-based MFA.We deep dive into a practical strategy for migrating users to the Authenticator app, starting with “stopping the bleed” and managing user groups. We also explore a significant security blind spot regarding Email OTP for SharePoint guest access and how to resolve it. Finally, we debate the future of authentication with device-bound versus synced Passkeys and how to defend against downgrade attacks.Subscribe with your favorite podcast play...
2025-12-2052 min
Entra.ChatExtending Microsoft Entra: Logic Apps, Power Apps, and the Art of Tinkering with Entra IDIn this week’s episode Jan Bakker, Microsoft MVP and solution architect from the Netherlands, joins us for a masterclass in extending Microsoft Entra ID beyond out-of-the-box capabilities. This episode is your complete guide to building custom identity governance and lifecycle management using Power Apps, Logic Apps, and Azure automation.You’ll learn the fundamental building blocks of automation in the Microsoft ecosystem and how to combine them creatively.Jan’s approach: treat Entra as a platform, not just a product.The automation stack he teaches: → Power Automate (everyday workflows)→ Logic Apps (ente...
2025-12-1350 min
Entra.ChatInside Microsoft’s Entra Tenant: The Internal App Governance PlaybookKhurram, a key member of the internal App Governance assessment team at Microsoft, joins the show to pull back the curtain on how Microsoft manages application security at a massive corporate scale and the rigorous internal security measures Microsoft employs to protect its corporate Entra ID tenant from risky applications.In this deep dive, Khurram reveals Microsoft’s custom-built App Governance blueprint. He details the process for reviewing and consenting to the hundreds of new application requests the organization receives monthly.Key Takeaways* Permission Risk Rating: Learn how Microsoft’s team assesses and assi...
2025-12-0652 min
Entra.ChatThe "Secret Sauce" Behind Microsoft's New MCP ServerLuca Spolidoro from the Microsoft Entra AI Innovations team joins us to unveil the new Microsoft MCP Server for Enterprise. We discuss how this innovation allows admins and AI agents to interface with their tenant using natural language, bridging the gap between LLMs and the complexity of Microsoft Graph.We also talk about the technical challenges of token limits, the patented “three-tool” solution that optimizes queries, and the roadmap for write operations and PowerShell script generation.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Luca Spolidoro Luca is...
2025-11-2955 min
Ctrl+Alt+Azure318 - A look at the new Zero Trust assessment tool from MicrosoftIn this episode, we take a look at the new Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment tool. We reflect on Zero Trust in general, its application in the Microsoft security landscape, and what this exciting tool will offer you.(00:00) - Intro and catching up.(05:00) - Show content starts.Show links- Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment tool- Demo of Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment (Merill Fernando)- Give us feedback!
2025-11-2629 min
Entra.ChatEntra Ignite Recap: Synced Passkeys, Agent ID & The Future of IdentityThis week, I’m joined by a stellar panel of Nathan McNulty, Ru Campbell, Martin Sandren, and Thomas Naunheim to break down the firehose of news from Microsoft Ignite related to Entra. We dive straight into the hot debate over synced passkeys versus device-bound credentials and why consumer adoption might force our hand in the enterprise. We also explore the new Account Recovery features that could save companies thousands in helpdesk costs and unpack the massive shift toward “Agentic AI” with the launch of Entra Agent ID, a feature that fundamentally changes how we think about non-human identi...
2025-11-231h 16
Entra.ChatZero Trust Assessment: Secure your tenantThis week, I’m so excited to share the inside story of a project I’ve been working on for over a year: the new Zero Trust assessment. I’m joined by some of the key folks from the team: Tarek, who’s leading the charge; Sarah and John, who are crushing docs; and Ravi, who’s owning Intune.We unpack the wild breach that sparked it all, geek out over those Sankey charts that spotlight sneaky unmanaged devices and privileged access landmines, and tease why even “expired” app creds could be your silent killer. If you’re tired of silo...
2025-11-1544 min
Entra.ChatHacking Entra ID: Bypassing AppLocks & Creating ‘Immortal’ UsersIn this episode, I sit down with security researcher Katie Knowles to unpack the hidden layers of identity systems inside Microsoft Entra. We get into real-world attack paths like backdooring service principals, restricted administrative units that can accidentally create unstoppable accounts, and OAuth phishing in Copilot Studio. Katie also shares how she approaches deep technical research, what defenders often overlook, and why identity security is only becoming more complex. This is one of those conversations where you walk away thinking differently.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Katie Kno...
2025-11-0852 min
Entra.ChatHacking Entra ID: Inside the Attack & Defense Playbook with its CreatorsSami Lamppu and Thomas Naunheim, the creators of the Entra ID Attack and Defense Playbook, join me to discuss their incredible 5-year community project.We talk about the most complex attacks they’ve researched, including the “black box” token and PRT attacks, and their shocking findings related to TPM and device compliance. We also dive deep into their brand-new chapter on the new Microsoft Entra Connect Application Based Authentication model and the critical steps you must take to secure it.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Sami & Th...
2025-11-0158 min
The Azure Security PodcastEpisode 120: The Zero Trust Workshop (and so much more!)In this episode Michael talks with guest Merill Fernando about the Zero Trust Workshop, but we also spend time talking about all things identity! Merill's final thought is pure gold, too!The only bit of news is about Azure SQL DB and how TDE key management during restore,
2025-10-2958 min
The Azure Security PodcastEpisode 120: The Zero Trust Workshop (and so much more!)In this episode Michael talks with guest Merill Fernando about the Zero Trust Workshop, but we also spend time talking about all things identity! Merill's final thought is pure gold, too!The only bit of news is about Azure SQL DB and how TDE key management during restore,
2025-10-2958 min
Entra.ChatI found a bug that could hack ANY Microsoft 365 tenant - Here's what happenedIn this episode, I chat with Dirk-jan Mollema, the legendary researcher behind some of the most important discoveries in Microsoft identity security. We go deep into how curiosity led him from tinkering with web tools to uncovering one of the biggest Entra ID vulnerabilities ever found. He shares the story behind the CVE that rocked the cloud world, the stress of realizing what he’d uncovered, and the mindset that drives his relentless research. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to find a bug that could break the internet—this one’s for you...
2025-10-241h 00
Entra.ChatAI is Coming to Identity Governance! Meet the Entra Access Review AgentIn this episode, I sit down with Alexander Filipin, a Product Manager at Microsoft, to unpack the essentials of identity governance and why access reviews are a game-changer for security and compliance.We explore the pitfalls like rubber stamping that plague traditional methods and tease how the new AI-driven Access Review Agent is stepping in with smart recommendations and context to make decisions easier and more accurate. Plus, we peek into exciting future possibilities where agents could automate access management entirely—tune in to see how this could reshape your org’s approach!Subs...
2025-10-181h 07
Entra.ChatWhy AI Is Breaking Identity Security – Experts Spill the Truth!Welcome back to Entra.Chat! In this rapid-fire Q&A, I’m joined by a team of brilliant CXE Identity Architects from Microsoft, and they’re answering the toughest questions on the future of identity. We dive deep into the security challenge posed by agentic AI that can spawn self-replicating identities and how Microsoft is creating tailored behavioral analytics to protect your environment. The team also spills the details on the shift to phishing-resistant MFA through authentication strengths capabilities for Entra ID tenants—you’ll definitely want to listen before your next audit!Subscr...
2025-10-1132 min
Entra.ChatAzure AD B2C to Entra External ID: Migration Strategies You Need to KnowIn this episode, I sit down with my longtime friends and colleagues, Jas Suri and Gayan Randeny, at Microsoft’s campus to unpack the biggest Microsoft consumer identity shift in years—Azure AD B2C’s sunset and the rise of Entra External ID. We talk about why B2C is going away, the crazy scale of tenants with 100M+ identities, the migration paths and what the future looks like for customer identity. Plus, stick around until the end because Gayan and Jas share a world premiere on the podcast about a groundbreaking new Just-In-Time migration approach that w...
2025-10-0438 min
Entra.ChatMicrosoft's Secret Weapon for M365 Admins: A 10x Faster Bulk Operations ToolOn this episode of Entra Chat, I was thrilled to sit down with Yanyan and Sweta from the Entra UI experience team to dive deep into a feature that many of us have used but is now getting a massive refresh: Bulk Operations. We talked about how they took a critical legacy tool and completely re-engineered it for insane performance and scale, making it more reliable than ever. You’ll hear about some amazing new capabilities, like customizing the columns in your CSV exports and using UPNs instead of just Object IDs to add users, wh...
2025-09-2731 min
Entra.ChatHow a Pharmacist Became a Pro Hacker (And What She Found in YOUR Tenant)Cybersecurity expert Erica shares her incredible journey from pharmacist to becoming a professional hacker. She reveals how attackers are bypassing modern security controls like MFA and what you can do to protect your tenant.We talk about the most common configuration vulnerabilities that exist in almost every organization, the dangers of application onboarding, and the top five phishing vectors threat actors are using to gain initial access, including clever abuses of Microsoft Teams.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About EricaErica has an amazing car...
2025-09-201h 01
Entra.ChatThe Great Debate: P2 vs. Entra ID Governance for GuestsJeremy Conley, Product Manager on the Identity Governance team at Microsoft, demystifies the world of guest access in Microsoft Entra. We discuss the hidden security risks that accumulate as guests are invited into a tenant and the governance challenges this creates.We also do a deep dive into the different licensing tiers, from P2 to the new Entra ID Governance for Guests license, and explain the recently GA’d , cost-effective MAU-based billing model for guests. Jeremy provides actionable tips for admins to start cleaning up their tenants and implementing a robust governance strategy today.Subscribe wi...
2025-09-1444 min
Entra.ChatThe Hidden Risks of Non-Human Identities in Your TenantIn this episode of Entra.Chat, I dive into the critical world of app governance with experts Jay Gundotra and Sander Berkouwer, who unpack the hidden risks of non-human identities in Microsoft Entra. From shocking real-world breaches like Midnight Blizzard to a hilarious tale of a theme park’s water supply mishap, we explore why securing your cloud apps is more urgent than ever. Tune in to discover practical tips and tools to safeguard your organization without losing your giraffes!Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Jay G...
2025-09-0648 min
Entra.ChatRed Team Secrets: How we bypass Conditional Access (and how you can fix it)In this episode of Entra.Chat, I dive deep with cybersecurity architect Fabian Bader into his research on bypassing poorly designed Microsoft Entra’s conditional access policies and what you can do about them. We also cover the game-changing new Group Source of Authority feature that lets you finally manage synced groups in the cloud, and share insights from Fabian’s work with MSRC to secure the platform—don’t miss this one if you want to stay ahead in cloud security!Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Fabian Bade...
2025-08-3058 min
Entra.ChatInside Entra Resilience: Microsoft's Outage War Stories, Backup Secrets and Preventing Global OutagesIn this episode, I sit down with my boss, Tarek Dawoud, to pull back the curtain on what really happens during a major service outage. Tarek shares some incredible "war stories" from his time in the trenches, from the early days of DirSync where the team had to edit a sync file with a debugger to prevent an incident, to the massive outages of 2017 and 2018 that changed everything. We'll give you a peek into the high-stakes, quick-thinking world of a "live site" incident and reveal the groundbreaking engineering principles like cell-based architecture and the backup...
2025-08-231h 15
Entra.ChatIdentity War Stories: Surviving the Domain Cutover Nightmare!In this episode, I sit down with Conrad Murray, a seasoned expert who lives and breathes the complexities of IT migrations during mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.We dive deep into the real-world challenges that companies face, from the political battles of deciding whose tenant to use, to the technical nightmares of migrating three-quarters of a petabyte of data for a major global firm.Conrad shares some incredible "war stories" about the single hardest part of any migration—the domain cutover—and reveals why the success of a months-long project boils down to just the first four...
2025-08-151h 05
Entra.ChatDon't Get Left Behind: The Future of Identity GovernanceIn this episode we are joined by Jef Kazimer, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft to discuss the critical role of Microsoft Entra ID Governance. We explore the entire identity lifecycle from joiners, movers, and leavers (JML), the financial and security benefits of automated provisioning, and the pitfalls of legacy IGA solutions. Jef shares his extensive experience, from deploying complex MIM solutions to helping shape the future of cloud-native governance, and provides key insights into how AI will drive the need for more robust governance and how Entra is leveraging technologies like Azure Logic Apps for...
2025-08-0950 min
Entra.ChatThe Zero Trust Mistakes 90% of Companies Are Making (Microsoft Insiders Reveal All)In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Microsoft's Clay and Ramiro, two Customer Experience (CxE) architects who've collectively run over 150 Zero Trust workshops with enterprise customers. They reveal the shocking gaps they consistently find—like customers spending millions on compliance policies but forgetting to actually block non-compliant devices with conditional access. We dive deep into their comprehensive Zero Trust Workshop framework that's become the "seventh wonder of the Excel world," discuss why partners are scrambling to get trained on their methodology, and explore how AI is about to reshape the entire Zero Trust landscape. ...
2025-08-0253 min
Entra.ChatBuilding Entra's CA AI Agent: A Creator's PerspectiveIn this episode, I sit down with Jordan Dahl, a Product Manager on the Entra Conditional Access team, to discuss the newly GA'd Conditional Access Optimization Agent. Jordan shares the origin story of the agent, explaining how customer feedback about the difficulties of managing CA policies at scale led to its creation. We delve into how this AI-powered "digital colleague" works to identify and remediate security gaps, its future roadmap including Service Now integration and phased rollouts, and how you can get started with it in your own tenant.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch...
2025-07-2644 min
Entra.ChatThe Unpopular Opinion: Why I Actually LIKE Hybrid JoinIn this exciting episode of Entra Chat, I dive into the world of Entra + Windows devices with the passionate and knowledgeable John Towles, a solution architect and MVP for Windows 365 and more. We unpack why Entra hybrid join is still relevant for some organizations, explore the ins and outs of Windows Autopilot, and reveal practical tips for navigating the complexities of modern device management. Plus, we share a sneak peek into the upcoming Workplace Ninjas US event and get a special announcement about the Workplace Ninjas US "Golden Clippy Awards", including the finalists for the "Entra IDol of the...
2025-07-1855 min
Entra.ChatEntra Chat 🎙️ → A master class with Entra’s Identity Provisioning Wizard!In this episode, I sit down with Chetan Desai, a Principal Product Manager on the Microsoft Identity Governance team. We dive deep into a side of Entra that many admins never see: the critical "first mile problem" of getting identities into your system in the first place.We talk about the evolution from on-prem scripts and MIM to specific connectors for Workday and SuccessFactors and then to the new powerful, generic API-driven approach that can handle any HR system and the architectural decisions behind it. Chetan also gives us a masterclass on how the provisioning engine differs...
2025-07-1255 min
Entra.ChatThe Secret to Great Tech Content? A Masterclass in StorytellingIn this episode, I chat with the legendary Tony Redmond, a prolific writer and author of "Office 365 for IT Pros". Tony shares unfiltered insights from his career, critiques the state of technical writing and AI, and discusses the challenges with PowerShell and the future of AI agents in the Microsoft ecosystem.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Tony RedmondTony Redmond is a well-known and prolific writer in the Microsoft 365 space. After a long career in large tech companies like Digital, Compaq, and HP, where he rose to the...
2025-07-041h 03
Entra.ChatThe Ultimate Guide to App Consent in Microsoft EntraIn this episode, I sit down with Erin Greenlee, the Product Manager for App Consent on Microsoft’s App Platform Team. We dive into the critical world of app consent and the upcoming Microsoft 365 secure-by-default changes. We explore the nuances of user and admin consent, the impact of the mid-July 2025, policy shift, and how admins can prepare for a more secure Entra environment.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Erin GreenleeErin Greenlee is a Product Manager at Microsoft, specializing in the App Platform Team within the Identity and N...
2025-06-271h 12
Entra.ChatPushing Microsoft Entra to its Limits to Secure On-Prem ADIn this episode, we talk with an identity expert, ex-Microsoftie and Principal Domain Architect, Mark Renoden, about creating a modern Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution for on-premises Active Directory. Discover how to build a secure "Bastion Forest" architecture using Microsoft Entra. We talk about PIM for Groups, group write-back, phish-resistant credentials, Privileged Access Workstations (PAW), securing an Entra tenant from the ground up, and navigating challenges with Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) permissions.Watch on YouTubePS. Can I ask a favor? If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and rating! Thank you 🙏 - M...
2025-06-2047 min
Entra.ChatFrom Active Directory to AI Agents: The 25-Year Saga of Microsoft's IdentityIn this very special episode, I sit down with the "Yoda of Entra" himself, Tarek Dawoud, who also happens to be my manager!We dig deep into the fascinating and often surprising history of Microsoft's identity platforms. Tarek, who has been on the team since 2007, takes us on a journey from the revolutionary launch of Active Directory in 1999, through the creation of the cloud services that battled Google Apps, to the formation of the identity division and the eventual rebrand to Entra.You'll hear the inside story on how our customer experience team became a "...
2025-06-141h 04
Entra.ChatFrom NetIQ to Cloud-Native Entra: A Decade-Long IAM RevolutionIn this episode, we are joined by Maqsood Bhatti, the IAM Principal Engineer at Elkjøp Nordic, who takes us through their incredible journey of migrating from the legacy NetIQ platform to Microsoft Entra. What's fascinating is how they accomplished this years ago, completely bypassing traditional tools like Entra Connect and adopting a "production-only" environment. Maqsood shares how they built a truly cloud-native identity solution from the ground up, leveraging custom connectors, app roles, and automating everything, including moving off the legacy platform entirely.You’ll also hear about their advanced use of Microsoft Identity Gov...
2025-06-0658 min
Entra.ChatDecommissioning On-Prem AD: Lessons Learned from We Are Era's Successful MigrationTobias Binkert, Head of IT at We Are Era, and Yusuke Kodama, Product Manager at Microsoft (who specialises in cloud-first identity, among many other things), join us to discuss We Are Era’s successful migration from on-premises Active Directory to a fully cloud-native Microsoft Entra ID environment.We delve into the motivations behind this significant shift with practical strategies for migrating devices using Microsoft Autopilot, modernizing applications, managing user accounts and groups in the cloud, and overcoming challenges like legacy RADIUS dependencies. Tobias shares the tangible benefits We Are Era experienced, including enhanced security, a superior user ex...
2025-05-3058 min
Entra.ChatUnmasking Entra ID Threats: A CrowdStrike Researcher's Early Career Insights with Sapir FederovskyIn this episode we chat with Sapir Federovsky, a Security Researcher at CrowdStrike, who shares her journey from military service to becoming an identity threat researcher.She discusses her learning methods, the importance of community, and the challenges of keeping up in the fast-paced world of Azure and Entra ID security.Sapir also delves into specific Entra ID features she focuses on, the critical role of prevention alongside detection, and her experiences as a woman in the tech industry.LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sapir-federovsky-a687491b0/Watch on YouTube
2025-05-2453 min
Entra.ChatMicrosoft's Entra Kerberos: Bridging Legacy AD to Cloud Auth + MAM on Edge with PM Jordan GrossIn this episode we chat with Microsoft PM Jordan Gross about the exciting world of Entra Kerberos.Discover how this crucial feature bridges the gap between traditional on-premises Active Directory and the modern cloud, enabling seamless authentication for legacy applications in hybrid environments.Jordan delves into the mechanics of Entra Kerberos, its different operational modes (up-level and down-level trust), and its significance for organizations migrating to the cloud.We also explore MAM (Mobile Application Management) on Edge, another innovative solution Jordan worked on, which helps secure browser access on personal devices....
2025-05-1751 min
Entra.ChatEntra & Azure Power-Up: Secure Service Principal Impersonation with Simon GottschlagIn this episode, Simon Gottschlag, CTO of Co-native and a Microsoft MVP in Azure, discusses his innovative prototype for implementing Azure service principal impersonation using Azure Functions and Key Vault.We explore the challenges of managing service principals, the journey to building a solution, and the potential for improving developer experience in platform building. Simon shares insights on the four-eyes principle, Entra ID's newer attribute-based access control (ABAC) vs the traditional RBAC model, and how his solution can enhance security and auditability in Azure environments.LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongottschlag🔗 Rel...
2025-05-1038 min
Entra.ChatUnlocking Entra ID's NEW QR Code Sign-In. Fast & Simple Authentication!🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chatThis episode of Entra Chat features Anju Singh, a Product Manager at Microsoft in the Microsoft Entra Authentication Experiences team. We discuss the newest authentication method in Entra: QR codes!Anju answers heaps of questions in this deep dive including why Microsoft chose QR codes, how it works under the hood, what you should and shouldn't use it for, and the biggest question - is it considered MFA?LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjusingh29/Prefer watching? Search for ‘Entra.Chat’ on YouTube🔗 Relat...
2025-05-0246 min
Entra.ChatEntra @ McDonald's: Managing 2.2 million workforce identities in the cloudGeorge Roberts, Director of Identity Governance and Administration at McDonald's, shares his extensive experience in migrating the company's workforce identity platform from on-premises ADFS to Microsoft Entra.We also talk about challenges like handling unique frontline worker needs (including a creative paper-based MFA solution) and integrating with various applications.About GeorgeGeorge Roberts is the Director of Identity Governance and Administration at McDonald's, where he leads a global team responsible for building and delivering the enterprise identity and access platform to support over 2 million employees, partners, franchisees, and restaurant staff users...
2025-04-251h 07
Entra.ChatInside Entra Sync: Dhanyah, the Microsoft PM for Entra Connect & Cloud Sync Reveals AllJoin us for a conversation with Dhanyah Krishnamoorthy, Product Manager at Microsoft, as she discusses Microsoft Entra Connect Sync and Cloud Sync solutions for synchronizing on-premises Active Directory identities to Entra ID.Learn about Microsoft's overall strategy for syncing and what you can do to prepare for the future including security considerations and scaling guidance.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About DhanyahDhanyah Krishnamurthy is a Principal Product Manager in the Microsoft Entra product group. For the past four years, Dhanyah has focused on hybrid identity sce...
2025-04-1838 min
Entra.ChatSecuring a Global Giant: Inside IKEA's Identity Strategy with MartinIn this insightful discussion, Martin Sandren from IKEA joins Entra Chat to discuss the evolving landscape of IAM.The episode covers critical considerations for modern identity strategies, including the trade-offs between syncable and device-bound passkeys, the necessity of robust regression testing for Conditional Access, and advancements in identity proofing methods.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇About Martin SandrenMartin Sandren is the IAM Lead at Inter IKEA, overseeing the systems that support IKEA's worldwide presence. His extensive background includes over twenty years of experience as an IAM...
2025-04-1155 min
Entra.ChatWhat nobody tells you about managing Microsoft 365 guest access with SamanthaIn this episode we discuss the evolution of guest access from SharePoint to Entra ID, the challenges of managing guest identities, and the importance of security and governance. Our conversation covers key topics including cross-tenant access settings, identity governance, B2B direct connect, and licensing considerations. Samantha also shares practical advice and best practices for organizations to secure their tenants and streamline external collaboration.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samkloos/🔗 Related Links* Overview: Cross-tenant access with M...
2025-04-041h 05
Entra.ChatOperational Groups in Entra with Nathan McNultyEntra.Chat Podcast - https://entra.chatIn this insightful episode, Nathan McNulty, Senior Security Solutions Architect at Patriot Consulting, shares his extensive experience deploying and securing Microsoft Entra environments. With a background spanning civil engineering, education, and critical infrastructure, Nathan brings practical wisdom from managing environments with 50,000+ users and 90,000+ devices.Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇The conversation explores realistic approaches to securing BYOD, building effective conditional access policies using a "castle" framework, and leveraging administrative units to partition permissions efficiently. Nathan reveals his innovative "operational groups" automation tec...
2025-03-2746 min
Entra.ChatBypassing MFA with Kuba, the Evilginx guy!Episode SummaryIn this episode, we dive into the sophisticated world of phishing attacks with Kuba Gretzky, creator of the renowned Evilginx framework. He shares insights on how Evilginx operates as a reverse proxy, capturing authentication tokens in real-time, and discusses the ethical considerations of creating such a powerful tool. Most importantly, Kuba provides valuable guidance on protection strategies that organizations can implement to defend against these advanced phishing techniques.Chapters00:00 - Introduction to Kuba and Evilginx- Creator of Evilginx, a phishing framework demonstrating MFA vulnerabilities- 15+ years...
2025-03-1953 min
Entra.ChatFrom Okta to Entra: Migrating 700 Apps in 90 DaysIn this very first episode of the Entra Chat podcast I sat down with Ben Wolfe, my former manager and ex-Microsoft, who is now the Head of Security Solutions at Increment. How to get in touch with Ben: Ben Wolfe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwillwolfe/ Increment - https://www.increment.inc/ Mentions during the episode: Graph X-Ray - https://graphxray.merill.net/ Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe
2025-03-101h 04
Out of Band: A Microsoft Security PodcastEpisode 03: Entra Goodness with Merill FernandoKicking off our third episode, where we discuss all things Security and Compliance across Microsoft Services in securing Identities, Devices, Apps and Data.
This episode we were lucky to have none other than Merill Fernando, Principal Product Manager for Entra, join us on the cast!
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Meet and connect with our hosts:
Andrew 'Abe' O'Young:
https://linktr.ee/andrewoyoung
Anthony 'Anto' Porter:
https://linktr.ee/antoporter
Shehan Perera:
https://linktr.ee/shehanjp
2025-02-241h 25The Azure Security PodcastEpisode 105: Azure and Entra ID Security ToolsIn this episode, Michael, Sarah, and Mark talk to Merill Fernando about a set of open source tools he and his team have developed to help people understand their Azure and Entra ID security postures.We also cover news about Fabric, TLS 1.o and 1,1 retirement, Microsoft Ignite, FIDO2, Confidential Containers and Red Hat OpenShift and various Zero Trust news.https://aka.ms/azsecpod
2024-11-2236 min
Practical 365 Podcast - Microsoft 365, Copilot & Cybersecurity News & DiscussionsIdentity Management Deep Dive with Microsoft's Merill Fernando - The Practical 365 Podcast S4E31In this episode of the Practical 365 Podcast, Steve Goodman and Rich Dean are joined by Merill Fernando, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, for a deep dive into identity management and community-driven innovation. As we approach Microsoft Ignite, Merill shares insights on upcoming announcements in security and identity management, including the new Global Secure Access solution. Plus we discuss various tech Meryl contributes to with the community, in particular Maester.dev, an open-source PowerShell based security framework.Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin to stay up...
2024-11-1957 min
Identity at the Center#299 - Unpacking Entra ID and DevOps with Microsoft Product Manager Merill FernandoIn this episode of Identity at the Center podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim delve into Microsoft's approach to identity and access management with guest Merill Fernando, a product manager at Microsoft. Merill shares his journey into the identity space, the current state and future plans for Entra ID, and the importance of DevOps and governance in identity management. The conversation also touches on the potential of AI in security with the introduction of Security Copilot and the intricacies of managing non-human identities.00:00 Introduction and Greetings01:53 Concert Experience and Technology05:48 Travel and Work Updates
2024-08-191h 06
ThreatCastMerill Fernando on How is Entra Conditional Access Central to Securing M365?Send us a textIn this week’s episode of ThreatCast Threatscape’s Ru Campbell is joined by Merill Fernando, Principal Product Manager in the customer experience team at Microsoft. Merill discusses his extensive experience with helping enterprise organisations to effectively deploy and utilise Microsoft Entra ID, the importance of realistic, workable security controls, and the open-source culture at Microsoft that’s generating important tools for meeting customers’ evolving needs.Key PointsHow ...
2024-06-1841 min
The PowerShell PodcastThe PowerShell and DevOps Global Summit 2024 Bar session 3In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we continue with our "bar sessions" from the PowerShell and DevOps Global Summit. We gain interesting insights into PowerShell, the Summit, career, and more. Our guests include Chris Masters, Joe Gasper, Rob Derickson, Chris Nguyen, Fred Weinmann, Merill Fernando, Clayton Tyger, Mike F. Robbins, Sean Wheeler, Prasidh Arora, and Danny Maertens.
Guest Bio and links:
https://powershellsummit.org
PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_2IyHdaaK4
2024-04-221h 17The PowerShell PodcastThe PowerShell and DevOps Global Summit 2024 Bar session 3In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we continue with our "bar sessions" from the PowerShell and DevOps Global Summit. We gain interesting insights into PowerShell, the Summit, career, and more. Our guests include Chris Masters, Joe Gasper, Rob Derickson, Chris Nguyen, Fred Weinmann, Merill Fernando, Clayton Tyger, Mike F. Robbins, Sean Wheeler, Prasidh Arora, and Danny Maertens.
Guest Bio and links:
https://powershellsummit.org
PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_2IyHdaaK4
2024-04-221h 17
The Cloud Architects PodcastEpisode 83: @merillIf you follow the latest developments in the Entra space, you have no doubt come across Merill Fernando. In this episode Merill joins us for a great discussion as we geek out about Entra and authentication in general. Why is it called Entra (RIP AAD!)? Merill sheds some light on the name change, we talk about AD FS and its relevance today, discuss the deprecation of AzureAD and MSOnline PowerShell modules and introduce some of the great tools and resources he's developed for the community.
Merill Fernando is a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and Senior member of the "Customer...
2024-02-221h 01
Kasper On BIEverything Microsoft Entra & Fabric with Merill FernandoIn this episode of Kasper On BI we are talking about Entra Security, Zero Trust and the changing security problems for a new ever connected from everywhere SaaS world. Microsoft...
2024-02-0159 minThe PowerShell PodcastEntra Insights and Merill Fernando’s Toolbox: Powering the CommunityIn this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we had an enlightening conversation with Merill Fernando, a Principal Product Manager on Microsoft's Entra team. Our discussion unveiled an in-depth look at Microsoft Entra, providing listeners with tips and tricks. Merill generously shared his journey in becoming a PM, emphasizing the pivotal role of learning and sharing knowledge within our tech community. We also delved into the emerging importance of transitioning from the AzureAD module towards a more streamlined approach using Graph. Not to miss, Merill spotlighted his widely acclaimed tools such as [akasearch.net](http://akasearch.net), idPowerToys, and entra...
2023-11-061h 02The PowerShell PodcastEntra Insights and Merill Fernando’s Toolbox: Powering the CommunityIn this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we had an enlightening conversation with Merill Fernando, a Principal Product Manager on Microsoft's Entra team. Our discussion unveiled an in-depth look at Microsoft Entra, providing listeners with tips and tricks. Merill generously shared his journey in becoming a PM, emphasizing the pivotal role of learning and sharing knowledge within our tech community. We also delved into the emerging importance of transitioning from the AzureAD module towards a more streamlined approach using Graph. Not to miss, Merill spotlighted his widely acclaimed tools such as [akasearch.net](http://akasearch.net), idPowerToys, and entra...
2023-11-061h 02Ctrl+Alt+Azure205 - Reflections on relevant skills to work with security in AzureIn this episode, we reflect on what it takes to work with security in Azure. What are the skillsets? What general experience and knowledge should you have? What about certifications? And how do we learn new stuff? Also, Jussi asks Tobi an unexpected question.(00:00) - Intro and catching up.(03:00) - Community highlights.(04:15) - Show content starts. Community Highlights- Merill Fernando: Entra Newsletter- Aaron Powell: Generative AI and .NET - Part 1 IntroShow links- Microsoft Fabric - get started!- Microsoft certifications: AZ-500, SC-100, AZ-305
2023-09-2736 min
ITBro's - De Podcast over Identity, Security en de moderne werkplek door Sander en RaymondS03A34 - Minder NTLM in Windows en minder features voor EdgeIn aflevering 34 van seizoen 3 bespreken Raymond Comvalius en Sander Berkouwer het meest recente nieuws en de aankomende evenementen. Raymond deelt een VS Code-productiviteitstip.NieuwsIn de verschillende Windows Insider-kanalen verschenen deze week diverse nieuwe builds:Build 25951 in het kanariekanaal biedt mogelijkheden om NTLM richting SMB te minimaliseren, een nieuwe widget voor Focus Session en een nieuwe naam voor Chat.Build 23545 in het ontwikkelaarskanaal biedt experimenten met de zoekfunctionaliteit op de taakbalk, Windows Share naar Teams-contacten en een vriendelijke naam voor je apparaat in het kader van Nearby Sharing.Builds 22621.2338 en 22631.2338 in het bètakanaal bieden net als het kanariekanaal de nieuwe w...
2023-09-1530 min
The Security Insights ShowMicrosoft Security Insights Show Episode 166 - Merill FernandoJoin us this week as we talk with Merill Fernando, Principal Product Manager about all things Microsoft Entra. There's been lots of news and announcement recently. In this episode, Merill will attempt to explain them all. And maybe we can get his take on the rebranding of AAD.Show Notes/Links:* Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra * Merill's blog: https://merill.net* Identity Blog: https://aka.ms/IdentityBlog* Microsoft Entra Family: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/microsoft-entra* Microsoft Entra delivers 240 percent ROI...
2023-08-241h 07
Podcast Archives - Microsoft Cloud IT Pro PodcastEpisode 347 – All your Entra.news with Merill Fernando
In Episode 347, Ben and Scott sit down with Merill Fernando to discuss the tools and content Merill is building to support Microsoft Entra customers.
Merill is a Principal Product Manager in the Microsoft CAT team with a focus on Microsoft Graph for Identity and brings his experiences working with Microsoft Entra customers to the masses.
In the conversation, we explore Merill’s various contributions to technical tools aimed at simplifying complex processes when working with the Microsoft Cloud. His creations include CMD.Ms, a tool that streamlines access to different Microsoft services; Azure AD Exporter, a to...
2023-08-1742 min
Microsoft Cloud IT Pro PodcastEpisode 347 – All your Entra.news with Merill Fernando
In Episode 347, Ben and Scott sit down with Merill Fernando to discuss the tools and content Merill is building to support Microsoft Entra customers.
Merill is a Principal Product Manager in the Microsoft CAT team with a focus on Microsoft Graph for Identity and brings his experiences working with Microsoft Entra customers to the masses.
In the conversation, we explore Merill’s various contributions to technical tools aimed at simplifying complex processes when working with the Microsoft Cloud. His creations include CMD.Ms, a tool that streamlines access to different Microsoft services; Azure AD Exporter, a to...
2023-08-1742 minITBro's - De Podcast over Identity, Security en de moderne werkplek door Sander en Raymonds02a44 - Nieuwe opties voor aanmelden en Conditional Access in Azure ADRaymond Comvalius en Sander Berkouwer bespreken het meest recente nieuws en de evenementen voor de aankomende week. Raymond deelt een nieuwe productiviteitstip.NieuwsRaymond was voor de Windows Insider build 22621.754 vorige week een biometriefeature vergeten te delen. Deze informatie geeft hij deze week mee. Builds 22621.875 en 22623.875 zijn inmiddels ook verschenen in het bètakanaal en bieden diverse tweaks voor de grafische interface. De echte nieuwe features vonden de heren deze week in build 25231 in het Windows-ontwikkelaarskanaal: de taal-neutrale woordenlijst wordt nu gesynchroniseerd, de taakbalk is geoptimaliseerd voor aanraken en Samsung-telefoons spelen nu fijner samen met W...
2022-10-2837 min
Microsoft 365 Developer PodcastPowerShell and Azure AD with Merill FernandoIn this episode, Jeremy Thake talks to Merill Fernando about the work he has done around PowerShell and Azure AD and Microsoft Graph. He talks about the amazing Graph X-ray tool that is super helpful for Identity and Intune developers out there!
Links from the show:
merill.net
Merill Fernando • 🇦🇺 • 🇱🇰 (@merill) / Twitter
GitHub - microsoft/azureadexporter: PowerShell module to export a local copy of all Azure Active Directory configuration settings and objects.
Graph PowerShell Conversion Analyzer - merill.net
PSAzureMigratorAdvisor powershell module
Mapping document from Azure AD PowerShell to Microsoft Graph Powershell SDK
Graph X-Ray (merill.net)
Graph Permissions Expl...
2022-06-2858 min