# yaml-language-server: $schema=../../../../schema/control.schema.json
id: CB-M365-TENANT-003
title: Restrict security group creation to administrators
finding:
  title: Any user can create security groups
  description: Users can create security groups that may later be used to grant access to applications, files or policies, without any governance.
status: active
profiles: [baseline]
risk:
  severity: low
assessment: manual
tags: [entra-id, groups, security-groups, governance]

setting:
  location: Microsoft Entra admin center > Entra ID > Users > User settings > Users can create security groups (also under Entra ID > Groups > General)
  default_value: "Yes"
  recommended_value: "No"

description: |
  The setting **Users can create security groups** is set to **No**
  (`defaultUserRolePermissions.allowedToCreateSecurityGroups` = `false`). Only administrators with
  a group management role create security groups.
rationale: |
  Security groups grant access to applications, SharePoint sites and Conditional Access scopes.
  User-created groups multiply without owners or review, and a group whose name looks official can
  be used by mistake in an access decision.
impact: |
  Users who need a security group ask the service desk or a Groups Administrator. Group creation
  for teams and collaboration uses Microsoft 365 groups (CB-M365-TENANT-006).

audit:
  manual: |
    1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center (https://entra.microsoft.com) as at least a
       Global Reader.
    2. Browse to **Entra ID** > **Users** > **User settings** (or **Entra ID** > **Groups** >
       **General**) and read **Users can create security groups**.
    3. Read-only PowerShell alternative (Microsoft Graph, scope `Policy.Read.All`):
       `(Get-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy).DefaultUserRolePermissions.AllowedToCreateSecurityGroups`.
    4. Fail if the setting is **Yes** (value `true`).

remediation:
  manual: |
    1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a Privileged Role Administrator.
    2. Browse to **Entra ID** > **Users** > **User settings**.
    3. Set **Users can create security groups** to **No** and select **Save**.
    4. Equivalent with Microsoft Graph PowerShell (scope `Policy.ReadWrite.Authorization`):
       `Update-MgPolicyAuthorizationPolicy -DefaultUserRolePermissions @{ AllowedToCreateSecurityGroups = $false }`.
  rollback: |
    Set the option back to **Yes**.

references:
  - title: What are the default user permissions in Microsoft Entra ID?
    url: https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/fundamentals/users-default-permissions
    publisher: Microsoft
    kind: vendor-doc
    accessed: 2026-10-24
  - title: Set up self-service group management in Microsoft Entra ID
    url: https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/identity/users/groups-self-service-management
    publisher: Microsoft
    kind: vendor-doc
    accessed: 2026-10-24
mappings:
  - framework: cis-m365
    framework_version: "7.0.0"
    id: "5.1.3.1"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: nist-800-53r5
    framework_version: "5.1.1"
    id: AC-6
    relation: related
  - framework: nist-800-53r5
    framework_version: "5.1.1"
    id: AC-2
    relation: related
related_controls:
  - id: CB-M365-TENANT-006
    type: related
  - id: CB-M365-TENANT-004
    type: related

authors:
  - name: Alice
    github: Sn0wAlice
introduced_in: 0.1.0
created: 2026-10-24
updated: 2026-10-24