Cis Azure Foundations 5.19

---
name: cis-azure-foundations-5.19
description: "Ensure 'Users can create security groups in Azure portals, API or PowerShell' is set to 'No'"
category: cis-azure-foundations
version: "5.0.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags: [cis, azure, identity, security-groups, group-creation, least-privilege]
cis_id: "5.19"
cis_benchmark: "CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark v5.0.0"
tech_stack: [azure]
cwe_ids: []
chains_with: [cis-azure-foundations-5.18, cis-azure-foundations-5.21]
prerequisites: []
severity_boost: {}
---

# Ensure 'Users can create security groups in Azure portals, API or PowerShell' is set to 'No'

## Description

Restrict security group creation to administrators only.

## Rationale

When creating security groups is enabled, all users in the directory are allowed to create new security groups and add members to those groups. Unless a business requires this day-to-day delegation, security group creation should be restricted to administrators only.

## Impact

Enabling this setting could create a number of requests that would need to be managed by an administrator.

## Audit Procedure

### Using Azure Portal

1. From Azure Home select the Portal Menu
2. Select `Microsoft Entra ID`
3. Under `Manage`, select `Groups`
4. Under `Settings`, select `General`
5. Under `Security Groups`, ensure that `Users can create security groups in Azure portals, API or PowerShell` is set to `No`

## Expected Result

`Users can create security groups in Azure portals, API or PowerShell` should be set to `No`.

## Remediation

### Using Azure Portal

1. From Azure Home select the Portal Menu
2. Select `Microsoft Entra ID`
3. Under `Manage`, select `Groups`
4. Under `Settings`, select `General`
5. Under `Security Groups`, set `Users can create security groups in Azure portals, API or PowerShell` to `No`
6. Click `Save`

## Default Value

By default, `Users can create security groups in Azure portals, API or PowerShell` is set to `Yes`.

## References

1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/users/groups-self-service-management#making-a-group-available-for-end-user-self-service
2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security/benchmark/azure/mcsb-governance-strategy#gs-6-define-and-implement-identity-and-privileged-access-strategy
3. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security/benchmark/azure/mcsb-governance-strategy#gs-2-define-and-implement-enterprise-segmentationseparation-of-duties-strategy
4. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security/benchmark/azure/mcsb-privileged-access#pa-1-separate-and-limit-highly-privilegedadministrative-users
5. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security/benchmark/azure/mcsb-privileged-access#pa-3-manage-lifecycle-of-identities-and-entitlements

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                               | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control     |      |      | x    |
| v7               | 14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists | x    | x    | x    |

## Profile

Level 2 | Manual