Directory Synchronization - Microsoft Azure Directory Synchronization Connectors - May 2024

Service Update

Availability	From May 21st, 2024
Product(s)	Email Security Cloud Gateway
Who's affected	Email Security Cloud Gateway, Administrators

Overview

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement and your security, we have important updates to share with you regarding the connectivity between your Mimecast account and your Microsoft Azure Directory tenant(s). 

What's changing

The connectivity for Azure Directory Synchronization connectors is being enhanced, using the latest innovations from Mimecast, and as a result, these will need to be migrated using the existing migration workflow for connectors.

The Connector will continue to use the OAuth 2.0 standard for authentication while following the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), as it does today.

When migrating Azure Directory Synchronization connectors, Mimecast will take you through a consent workflow. Once consent has been granted, Mimecast will use secure tokens to communicate with your Microsoft Azure tenant, as it does currently. The mechanism to obtain secure tokens will continue to use a daily rotating certificate to provide a further layer of security to the communication between your Mimecast account and your Microsoft Azure tenant. 
 

Migration Steps for Required Update

• Once the update becomes available in your region, you will be notified within the Mimecast Administration Console that you have an Azure Directory Synchronization integration that needs to be migrated using the Connector workflow. The prompt will display in the top right corner:

  

• When using the Migrate now option, it will open the Connectors page for you, from where you can start your migration process.

  

• To successfully migrate, you will need to log into Microsoft Azure as an administrator with permissions to grant consent to applications.

  

  When migrating a Connector, the Name will be carried over, but the Description field will be empty. You will need to enter a suitable Description before completing the migration of the Connector.

• When configuring a new Azure Directory Synchronization integration, a Connector can be selected within the Wizard, or a new Connector can be manually created.

  

Required actions 

• Once deployed, please migrate your Azure Directory Synchronization integrations by following the migration steps as set out above.
• Please ensure that you complete the update before August 18th, 2024. All of your Azure Directory Synchronization integrations should be migrated at your earliest convenience, but before this date. 
  Failing to do so will result in service disruptions, as Mimecast will no longer be able to synchronize with your Azure Directory after this date. 
• When your migration has been completed, the migration page will automatically disappear from your Mimecast Administration Console.
• Post migration, we recommend you remove the previously created Azure application from your Azure tenant that relates specifically to Mimecast Directory Synchronization, as it will no longer be required. 

See Also...

• Directory Synchronization - Migrating Server Connectors