Catching the Hot Potato:
Who Owns Application Governance in Microsoft Entra ID?

Hot Potato (5)

 

A Practical Guide for Identity, Security, and Modern Workplace Leaders 

Take control of your Entra ID application ecosystem. 

Modern organizations run on cloud applications, and Microsoft Entra ID is the identity backbone connecting users to Microsoft 365 and SaaS platforms. But with the explosion of applications,  permissions, and integrations, many leaders face the same critical question: Who owns application governance? 

Without clear ownership, application governance becomes a “hot potato” tossed between IT, Security, Identity, and Business stakeholders. The result? Excessive permissions, shadow IT, compliance gaps, and increased exposure to identity-based attacks. 

This guide gives Identity, Security, and Modern Workplace leaders a clear roadmap to establish governance models, close security gaps, and support business productivity.
Hot Potato (2)

What You’ll Learn in This Guide 

  • Application Governance Fundamentals – What Entra ID governance covers and why it matters 
  • Top Risks to Watch – Excessive permissions, stale credentials, and shadow IT challenges 
  • Warning Signs of Gaps – The red flags every CIO, CISO, and IT director should know 
  • Proven Governance Models – Center of Excellence, Federated, and Hybrid approaches 
  • Best Practices for Leaders – How to align identity, security, and business priorities 
  • Governance Metrics – How to track progress and prove value to executives 

Why IT, Identity, & Security Leaders Need This Guide 

  • Protect Identity Systems – Prevent attackers from exploiting over-permissioned apps 
  • Strengthen Microsoft 365 Security – Align governance with compliance and Zero Trust principles 
  • Enable the Modern Workplace – Balance user productivity with strong security controls 
  • Drive Cross-Functional Alignment – Unite IT, Security, and Business leaders under one governance strategy 
Hot Potato (3)
Hot Potato

The Hot Potato Stops Here 

Don’t leave application governance to chance.
Whether you lead Identity & Access Management, Security Operations, or Modern Workplace strategy, this guide will help you: 

  • Define ownership and accountability 
  • Establish scalable governance frameworks 
  • Reduce risk while supporting innovation 

Take the first step toward stronger, smarter application governance in Microsoft Entra ID. 

Meet the Author:

John Sr. Corporate Headshot 03-03-2023

John O'Neill Sr.

Owner, The IT Strategist

John’s professional IT career began as a teenager, taking him on many wonderful adventures over the past 30 years. John’s IT path started with programming, but branched out quickly. Opportunities from the Help Desk to the Corner Office shape his IT journey. Specializing in Security, Systems, and Infrastructure technologies, John’s broad skillset includes Desktop and Server OS, Identity Management, Networking Services, Network Architecture, IP Telephony, and CyberSecurity. Passionate about giving back to the IT community, John develops relevant, timely content which IT Pros take advantage of immediately. Part of the MVPDays team, he develops both online and in-print content. In addition, John authored material as a contributing editor for the Petri.co.il online community as well as senior contributor to Tom’s IT Pro, Redmond Magazine, Netwrix, and both Thomson-Reuters' Aspatore Books and Exec Blueprints publications. Helping others succeed and advance in IT drives John to share knowledge. Speaking at conferences worldwide, developing technology training courses for Pluralsight’s online training library, and leading webinars are all regular investments by John in the current and next generation of IT professionals. Blending high-tech education with a bit of entertainment, attendees at John’s sessions regularly rate him one of their favorite speakers. Attendees rated John top speaker/best session at TechMentor Redmond 2019 and again at Techmentor Orlando 2021. John is proud to be honored by industry organizations, leaders, and especially his peers. A five-time recipient of Microsoft’s MVP Award, John received NEOSA’s CIO of the Year Award in 2012.