/configuring-active-directory-tiered-model

name: configuring-active-directory-tiered-model
description: Implement Microsoft's Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE) tiered
  administration model for Active Directory, covering Tier 0/1/2 separation, privileged
  access workstations (PAWs), administrative forest design, and authentication policy
  silos. Use when designing or hardening AD privileged-access architecture, segmenting
  Domain/Enterprise Admin accounts into tiers, or containing lateral movement and
  credential theft (pass-the-hash, Kerberoasting, golden tickets).
domain: cybersecurity
subdomain: identity-access-management
tags:
- iam
- identity
- access-control
- active-directory
- tiered-model
- paw
- esae
version: '1.0'
author: mahipal
license: Apache-2.0
nist_csf:
- PR.AA-01
- PR.AA-02
- PR.AA-05
- PR.AA-06
mitre_attack:
- T1078.002
- T1550.002
- T1550.003
- T1003.001
- T1021

Configuring Active Directory Tiered Model

Overview

Implement Microsoft's Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE) tiered administration model for Active Directory. Covers Tier 0/1/2 separation, privileged access workstations (PAWs), administrative forest design, authentication policy silos, and credential theft mitigation.

When to Use

• When deploying or configuring configuring active directory tiered model capabilities in your environment
• When establishing security controls aligned to compliance requirements
• When building or improving security architecture for this domain
• When conducting security assessments that require this implementation

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with identity access management concepts and tools
• Access to a test or lab environment for safe execution
• Python 3.8+ with required dependencies installed
• Appropriate authorization for any testing activities

Objectives

• Implement comprehensive configuring active directory tiered model capability
• Establish automated discovery and monitoring processes
• Integrate with enterprise IAM and security tools
• Generate compliance-ready documentation and reports
• Align with NIST 800-53 access control requirements

Security Controls

| Control | NIST 800-53 | Description | |---------|-------------|-------------| | Account Management | AC-2 | Lifecycle management | | Access Enforcement | AC-3 | Policy-based access control | | Least Privilege | AC-6 | Minimum necessary permissions | | Audit Logging | AU-3 | Authentication and access events | | Identification | IA-2 | User and service identification |

Verification

• [ ] Implementation tested in non-production environment
• [ ] Security policies configured and enforced
• [ ] Audit logging enabled and forwarding to SIEM
• [ ] Documentation and runbooks complete
• [ ] Compliance evidence generated