Zero Trust Device Trust Enforcement
Using device compliance as a Conditional Access signal so only trusted endpoints reach corporate resources.
Difficulty
Advanced
Environment
Entra ID / Intune
Deployment
Production
Est. Implementation
2–4 weeks
Executive Summary
This project made device trust a first-class access control: Conditional Access policies evaluate Intune compliance and device health so only managed, compliant and healthy endpoints can access corporate resources.
It closes the gap where unmanaged or unhealthy devices could otherwise reach sensitive data, strengthening the endpoint perimeter as part of a Zero Trust strategy.
Business Problem
Access decisions did not consistently account for the state of the device requesting access, allowing potentially unmanaged or non-compliant endpoints to reach corporate data.
In a Zero Trust model, trust must be continuously verified. Device state is a critical signal — ignoring it undermines the entire access model.
Business Risks
- Unmanaged devices accessing corporate resources
- Compromised or unhealthy endpoints bypassing controls
- Inconsistent enforcement across applications
Compliance Concerns
- Access control and least-privilege requirements
- Evidence of device-based access decisions
Solution Overview
Conditional Access policies were designed to require compliant or hybrid-joined devices for access, using Intune compliance state and device health as signals.
Policies were rolled out with report-only mode first to measure impact, then enforced, with clear exclusion handling for break-glass accounts.
Architecture
Architecture diagram placeholder
Technology Stack
Conditional Access
Policy engine for access decisions
Intune Compliance
Device compliance and health signals
Microsoft Entra ID
Identity and device registration
Defender for Endpoint
Device risk and health signals
Lab Environment
- Tenant
- Microsoft 365 E5
- Licensing
- Entra ID P1/P2, Intune
- Identity
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Endpoint
- Intune-managed Windows devices
- Network
- Corporate and remote access paths
- Test Devices
- Compliant and non-compliant test endpoints
Implementation
A phased, expandable walkthrough. Screenshots and evidence can be attached to each phase.
Define which apps and users require device trust.
- Inventory target applications
- Confirm device compliance policies exist
- Define user and group scope
Screenshots for this phase can be added here.
PowerShell
Illustrative example snippets — copy or download each script. Production values are placeholders.
Review Conditional Access policies (Graph)
# Example — list Conditional Access policies via Microsoft Graph
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Policy.Read.All"
Get-MgIdentityConditionalAccessPolicy |
Select-Object DisplayName, StateConfiguration Screenshots
Click any tile to open the lightbox. Real screenshots will replace these placeholders.
Validation
Compliant Access
Compliant devices are granted access.
Non-Compliant Blocked
Non-compliant devices are blocked as designed.
Sign-in Evidence
Decisions are visible in Entra sign-in logs.
Exclusions Verified
Break-glass accounts behave as expected.
Challenges
Avoiding lockout
Careful exclusion design and report-only rollout prevented accidental lockouts.
Legacy access paths
Some clients needed remediation to support modern authentication and device signals.
Lessons Learned
- Always start Conditional Access in report-only mode and read the data.
- Break-glass accounts and exclusions are non-negotiable safety nets.
- Device trust is only as good as the compliance policies feeding it.
Business Impact
Trusted devices only
Reduced Risk
Continuous verification
Zero Trust Alignment
Endpoint gating
Improved Posture
Policy-driven
Administrative Efficiency
Skills Demonstrated
Related Certifications
Certifications this project maps to are highlighted.
Related Blog Articles
Placeholder cards — future TechCertGuide integration.
GitHub Repository
lokeshm-it/Zero-Trust-Device-Enforcement
PublicConditional Access policy design and rollout notes.
Download Center
Project Case Study
PDF · Available soon
Architecture Diagram
PDF · Available soon
PowerShell Scripts
ZIP · Available soon
Technical Documentation
PDF · Available soon