How to Track Deleted Users in Azure Active Directory?

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is a powerful cloud-based identity and access management service provided by Microsoft. It allows organizations to manage user accounts, control access to resources, and enhance security. In some cases, it becomes necessary to track and monitor deleted users in Azure AD, either for auditing purposes or to retrieve critical data. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various methods and best practices to track deleted users in Azure Active Directory.

1. Understanding User Deletion in Azure Active Directory:

When a user is deleted in Azure AD, their account is permanently removed, and all associated data and access privileges are revoked. It is essential to have a process in place to track deleted users to ensure data integrity, compliance, and security. Let’s explore various methods to accomplish this.

2. Enabling Audit Logs in Azure AD:

Before you can track deleted users, ensure that audit logs are enabled in Azure AD. Audit logs provide a detailed record of events and activities within your Azure AD tenant. To enable audit logs, follow these steps:

• Go to the Azure portal and navigate to Azure Active Directory.
• Select “Audit logs” from the Monitoring section.
• Enable the “Audit sign-ins” and “Audit directory” options.

3. Retrieving Deleted Users using Azure Portal:

The Azure portal provides a user-friendly interface to retrieve deleted users. Follow these steps:

• Go to the Azure portal and navigate to Azure Active Directory.
• Select “Deleted users” from the Manage section.
• You can view and restore deleted users from the list.

4. Using Azure AD PowerShell Module:

Azure AD PowerShell module offers powerful command-line tools to manage Azure AD resources, including deleted users. To track deleted users using PowerShell, follow these steps:

• Install the Azure AD PowerShell module if not already installed.
• Connect to your Azure AD tenant using the Connect-AzureAD cmdlet.
• Use the Get-AzureADUser cmdlet with the -SearchString parameter to search for deleted users.

5. Leveraging Azure AD Graph API:

Azure AD Graph API provides a RESTful interface to programmatically interact with Azure AD resources. To track deleted users using the Azure AD Graph API, follow these steps:

• Authenticate your application with Azure AD and obtain an access token.
• Use the “https://graph.windows.net/{tenant_id}/deletedItems/users” endpoint to retrieve deleted users.
• Parse the API response to extract the required information.

6. Analyzing Audit Logs with Azure Monitor:

Azure Monitor allows you to collect, analyze, and act on telemetry data from various Azure resources, including Azure AD. By leveraging Azure Monitor, you can gain deeper insights into user deletion activities. Follow these steps:

• Enable Azure Monitor for your Azure AD tenant.
• Create a Log Analytics workspace and configure Azure AD audit logs to send data to this workspace.
• Use Azure Monitor queries and visualizations to analyze and track user deletion events.

7. Automating Tracking of Deleted Users:

To streamline the process of tracking deleted users, consider automating the task using Azure Functions or Azure Logic Apps. You can set up a workflow that triggers whenever a user is deleted and performs specific actions like sending notifications, storing data in a log, or invoking other Azure services.

8. Best Practices for Tracking Deleted Users:

• Establish a user deletion policy and communicate it to all stakeholders.
• Regularly review audit logs to identify suspicious activities.
• Store audit logs in a secure location with restricted access.
• Implement multi-factor authentication to protect privileged accounts.
• Regularly back up critical user data to prevent loss.

9. Conclusion:

Tracking deleted users in Azure Active Directory is crucial for maintaining data integrity, compliance, and security. By enabling audit logs, leveraging Azure tools and APIs, and adopting automation, you can effectively track and monitor deleted users in your Azure AD tenant. Remember to follow best practices and establish a robust user deletion policy to ensure the integrity of your Azure AD environment.