Mapping Microsoft Entra to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework

Microsoft Entra brings identity and access control into sharp focus, aligning it with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to secure every login, API call, and data request. This is not abstract policy work. It is operational security you can deploy now, mapped to a standard everyone recognizes, the NIST CSF.

At its core, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework organizes security into five functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. Microsoft Entra applies each function to identity, governance, and enforcement. In the Identify phase, Entra provides clear visibility into identities across multi-cloud, hybrid, and on-prem environments. Its catalog of identities—human and machine—is the baseline for strong defense.

The Protect step is driven by conditional access, role-based access control, and advanced passwordless authentication. Microsoft Entra uses these controls to lock down access pathways, closing attack vectors before they open. Integration with multifactor authentication and continuous access evaluation gives the framework’s Protect function teeth.

Detect is where telemetry matters. Entra Identity Governance records every request, challenge, and sign-in. Threat intelligence from Microsoft Security Graph feeds real-time anomaly detection, so deviations are caught before escalation.

Respond, under the NIST CSF lens, is about mitigation and containment. Microsoft Entra automates revocation of compromised sessions, enforces adaptive policies, and syncs with incident management systems to accelerate response time.

Recover integrates identity restoration with secure re-provisioning. Entra enables quick rollback to known-good states and revalidates identities following remediation, aligning precisely with the NIST recovery guidelines.

Using Microsoft Entra with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is not just alignment—it is a blueprint for building disciplined identity infrastructure that scales. This combination delivers measurable risk reduction, audit-ready compliance, and clear operational workflows.

Start mapping Microsoft Entra to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework now. See a live implementation in minutes at hoop.dev.