Managing guest users in Microsoft 365/Azure is crucial for nonprofits using cohort-based programs. Inactive guest accounts pose security risks and clutter your tenant. Learn how to create dynamic groups and automate access reviews to efficiently remove inactive guests, enhancing security and organization. Unique :

Efficiently Removing Inactive Guest Users in M365/Azure: What You Need to Know

Nonprofits and tech-savvy organizations often use Microsoft 365 guest access to onboard temporary users. But what happens when these guests leave? Many forget to offboard them, leaving inactive accounts open and vulnerable. In this post, we dive into why cleaning up inactive guest users matters and how to automate the process using Microsoft Entra ID.

Why Removing Inactive Guest Users Matters

Inactive guest accounts might seem harmless, but they pose serious security risks. As Kenelle Moore explains,

“Each inactive user is an open door. A door that, if left unlocked, could be used by someone with bad intentions.”

Former guests’ credentials could be compromised elsewhere, allowing attackers to sneak in through your tenant. Plus, inactive users might still access sensitive files or internal communications.

Nonprofits especially face challenges because limited resources often push security down the priority list. However, leaving guest accounts unattended increases your attack surface and invites risk.

Guest Access: Set It and Don’t Forget It

Inviting guests to your Microsoft 365 environment fosters collaboration. But equally important is offboarding them properly. Ask yourself:

• Do you track who’s still active?
• Do you review guest user activity regularly?
• Do you know how to remove inactive guests?

If not, you’re not alone—but it’s never too late to start.

Benefits of Cleaning Up Your Tenant

Removing inactive guest users does more than boost security. It keeps your environment tidy, simplifies managing active cohorts, and reduces licensing complications. Moreover, it shows respect for your participants by protecting their data and maintaining professionalism.

How to Automate Guest User Cleanup in Microsoft Entra ID

Create a Dynamic Group for Guest Users

Dynamic groups automatically update membership based on user attributes. This means no manual updates when guests join or leave. Here’s a quick rundown:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center.
2. Navigate to Groups > + New group.
3. Set group type to Security and membership type to Dynamic User.
4. Add a dynamic membership rule where userType equals Guest and accountEnabled equals true.
5. Validate and save the rule, then create the group.

This group will now auto-populate with all active guest users, keeping your access management clean and organized.

Set Up Automated Access Reviews

Next, automate periodic reviews to identify and remove inactive guests:

1. Go to Azure’s Identity Governance > Access Reviews.
2. Create a new review targeting your dynamic guest user group.
3. Configure it to review only inactive guest users (e.g., inactive for 30 days).
4. Set reviewers, duration, recurrence, and start/end dates.
5. Enable auto-apply results and configure actions for denied users, like blocking sign-in and removal.
6. Optionally, require justification and enable email notifications.
7. Review and create the access review.

As Moore puts it,

“Lightweight, repeatable processes protect your community and your mission.”

Automating guest user cleanup is a simple yet powerful way to do just that.

Final Thoughts

Inactive guest users are a hidden security risk in Microsoft 365 environments. Fortunately, Microsoft Entra ID’s dynamic groups and access reviews make managing guest access effortless. By implementing these tools, nonprofits and organizations can safeguard their data, streamline management, and maintain trust.

Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll dive deeper into step-by-step guides for removing inactive guest users safely and efficiently.

Inactive guest users can expose your tenant to security breaches by retaining access to sensitive data.

Kairos IMS leverages Azure and Microsoft 365 to streamline nonprofit impact management and security.

Dynamic groups in Microsoft Entra ID automate guest user management by grouping users based on attributes.

Access reviews help automate the identification and removal of inactive guest users regularly.

Automating guest user offboarding respects participant privacy and reduces administrative overhead.

From the New blog articles in Microsoft Community Hub

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