Entra App Registration

Design and configure secure app registrations with least privilege, proper auth flows, and automated credential rotation. Support single-tenant, multi-tenant, and B2B scenarios.

Use This Skill When

• The user needs to set up app authentication with Entra ID
• The user is building web apps, SPAs, APIs, or daemon services
• The user needs to integrate with Microsoft Graph or other APIs
• The user needs API scopes, app roles, or delegated permissions

Context: Identity Maturity

Immature: Hard-coded secrets, no expiration, shared credentials
Developing: App registrations created, some scoping of permissions
Managed: Certificate-based auth, credential rotation, least-privilege scopes → Target
Optimized: Managed identity, workload federation, passwordless, real-time token binding

Required Inputs

• App type: SPA (React, Angular), Web (ASP.NET, Node), Daemon (background job), API (resource), Mobile
• Auth flow: Authorization Code (most common), ROPC (legacy), Client Credentials (daemon), Device Flow (IoT)
• Tenant model: Single-tenant (internal), Multi-tenant (SaaS), B2B (partner)
• Redirect URIs: Login callback URLs (e.g., https://myapp.azurewebsites.net/auth/callback)
• API permissions: Which Microsoft Graph or custom APIs does it call?
• Credential strategy: Certificates (preferred) or secrets (ephemeral)?

Decision Tree

What type of application is this?
├─ Web app (server-side) → Authorization Code flow
├─ SPA (client-side React/Vue) → Authorization Code + PKCE
├─ Mobile/Desktop → Authorization Code + PKCE or Device Flow
├─ Daemon/Background job → Client Credentials flow
├─ API (resource server) → Define scopes for other apps to call
└─ Microsoft 365 add-in → OAuth/OpenID Connect with specific scopes

Is this single-tenant or multi-tenant?
├─ Single-tenant → Simpler: app only works in your organization
└─ Multi-tenant → Complex: other organizations can install/authorize it

Who authenticates: User or Application?
├─ User → Delegated permissions (on-behalf-of user)
└─ Application → Application permissions (app-to-app, no user)

Does it need to call other APIs?
├─ No → Minimal configuration (just sign-in)
├─ Yes → Add API permissions, request at sign-in or runtime
└─ Daemon → App permissions only (no user)

How to manage credentials?
├─ Development/Testing → Secrets (short-lived)
└─ Production → Certificates or managed identity (via workload federation)

Workflow

Phase 1: Create App Registration

1. Register application:

   az ad app create \
     --display-name "MyApp" \
     --public-client-redirect-uris "https://localhost:3000/auth/callback" \
     --enable-id-token-issuance true \
     --enable-access-token-issuance true
   
   APP_ID=$(az ad app list --display-name "MyApp" --query "[0].appId" -o tsv)
   TENANT_ID=$(az account show --query tenantId -o tsv)
   

2. Register service principal (represents app in tenant):

   az ad sp create --id $APP_ID
   

3. Set token configuration (what claims in token):

   # Via portal: Token Configuration → Add optional claim
   # Or via CLI: az ad app update --id $APP_ID --optional-claims ...
   

Phase 2: Configure Platform & Redirect URIs

1. For web apps:

   # Add redirect URIs (where to send auth code after login)
   az ad app update --id $APP_ID \
     --reply-urls "https://myapp.azurewebsites.net/auth/callback" \
                  "http://localhost:3000/auth/callback" \
     --logout-urls "https://myapp.azurewebsites.net/logout"
   

2. For SPAs (React, Vue, Angular):

   # Treat as public client (no secret needed)
   az ad app update --id $APP_ID \
     --public-client-redirect-uris "https://myapp.azurewebsites.net/" \
                                   "http://localhost:3000/"
   # Enable PKCE: Portal → Authentication → Treat app as public client (✓)
   

3. For desktop/mobile apps:

   # Mobile: myapp://auth
   # Desktop: http://localhost:port/redirect
   az ad app update --id $APP_ID \
     --public-client-redirect-uris "myapp://auth" \
                                   "http://localhost:7777/redirect"
   

Phase 3: Add API Permissions

1. Request Microsoft Graph access:

   # Delegate (user's behalf): Read user profile, calendar
   az ad app permission add --id $APP_ID \
     --api 00000003-0000-0000-c000-000000000000 \
     --api-permissions "e1fe6dd8-ba31-4d61-89e7-88639da4683d=Scope" \
                       "14dad69e-099b-42c9-810b-d002981feee1=Scope"
   
   # Application (as itself): Read all users (admin consent required)
   az ad app permission add --id $APP_ID \
     --api 00000003-0000-0000-c000-000000000000 \
     --api-permissions "9a6d68d0-fcf5-4d9f-b6c5-5ff2e6bba1d5=Role"
   

2. Request custom API access:

   # If calling your own API, get its app ID
   CUSTOM_API_ID=$(az ad app list --display-name "MyCustomAPI" --query "[0].appId" -o tsv)
   
   az ad app permission add --id $APP_ID \
     --api $CUSTOM_API_ID \
     --api-permissions "scope-uuid=Scope"
   

3. Admin consent (required for app permissions):

   # Portal: API Permissions → Grant admin consent for [Tenant]
   # Or: Redirect user to consent URL with scope
   # https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant-id}/oauth2/v2.0/authorize?client_id=...&scope=...
   

Phase 4: Define Exposed Scopes (if this is an API)

1. Expose scopes for other apps to call:

   # Portal: Expose an API → Add a scope
   # Scope: api://myapp-id/Orders.Read
   # Display name: "Read Orders"
   # Admin consent description: "App can read orders on user's behalf"
   

   # CLI (register scope)
   az ad app update --id $APP_ID \
     --api-definition '{
       "requestedAccessTokenVersion": 2,
       "oauth2PermissionScopes": [{
         "adminConsentDescription": "Allow app to read orders",
         "adminConsentDisplayName": "Read Orders",
         "id": "scope-uuid",
         "isEnabled": true,
         "type": "User",
         "userConsentDescription": "Read your orders",
         "userConsentDisplayName": "Read Orders",
         "value": "Orders.Read"
       }]
     }'
   

2. Define app roles (for role-based access):

   {
     "appRoles": [
       {
         "id": "admin-uuid",
         "displayName": "Admin",
         "description": "Can manage orders",
         "value": "Orders.Manage",
         "allowedMemberTypes": ["Application", "User"]
       }
     ]
   }
   

Phase 5: Configure Credentials

1. Certificate-based (preferred for production):

   # Generate self-signed cert (1 year valid)
   openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout key.pem -out cert.pem -days 365 -nodes \
     -subj "/CN=MyApp"
   
   # Upload to app registration
   az ad app credential reset --id $APP_ID --cert @cert.pem --append
   

2. Secret-based (development/testing):

   # Create secret (2-year expiration)
   SECRET=$(az ad app credential reset --id $APP_ID --display-name "dev-secret" \
     --years 2 --query "credential.secretText" -o tsv)
   
   # SAVE TO KEY VAULT (never in code/config)
   az keyvault secret set --vault-name $KV --name "app-registration-secret" --value "$SECRET"
   

3. Rotate credentials:

   # Create new secret before old one expires
   az ad app credential reset --id $APP_ID --display-name "new-secret"
   
   # Update apps to use new secret from Key Vault
   # Delete old secret
   az ad app credential delete --id $APP_ID --key-id $OLD_KEY_ID
   

Phase 6: Obtain Tokens in Application

Example 1: ASP.NET Core Web App

// Sign-in user with Authorization Code flow
services.AddMicrosoftIdentityWebAppAuthentication(Configuration)
  .AddMicrosoftGraph(Configuration.GetSection("MicrosoftGraph"))
  .AddInMemoryTokenCaches();

// In controller: User automatically authenticated via middleware
[Authorize]
public async Task<IActionResult> Profile() {
  var user = User; // User object available
  return Ok(user);
}

Example 2: React SPA

import React from 'react';
import { MsalProvider, useMsal, useAccount } from "@azure/msal-react";
import { PublicClientApplication } from "@azure/msal-browser";

const msalConfig = {
  auth: {
    clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
    authority: `https://login.microsoftonline.com/YOUR_TENANT_ID`,
    redirectUri: window.location.origin,
  }
};

const pca = new PublicClientApplication(msalConfig);

export function App() {
  const { accounts, instance } = useMsal();
  
  const handleLogin = async () => {
    const response = await instance.loginPopup({
      scopes: ["openid", "profile", "email"]
    });
    console.log(response);
  };

  return <button onClick={handleLogin}>Login</button>;
}

ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')).render(
  <MsalProvider instance={pca}>
    <App />
  </MsalProvider>
);

Example 3: Daemon (Client Credentials)

// No user involved; app authenticates as itself
var credential = new ClientSecretCredential(
  tenantId, clientId, clientSecret,
  new TokenCredentialOptions { AuthorityHost = AzureAuthorityHosts.AzurePublicCloud }
);

var client = new GraphServiceClient(credential);
var users = await client.Users.GetAsync();

Phase 7: Validate & Test

1. Test sign-in flow:

   # Use MSAL playground: https://ms.dev/msal-js-playground
   # Or local app: curl + redirect flow
   
   # Get auth code
   curl "https://login.microsoftonline.com/$TENANT_ID/oauth2/v2.0/authorize?client_id=$CLIENT_ID&response_type=code&redirect_uri=http://localhost&scope=openid%20profile%20email" 
   
   # Exchange code for token
   curl -X POST \
     -d "client_id=$CLIENT_ID&client_secret=$SECRET&grant_type=authorization_code&code=$CODE&redirect_uri=http://localhost" \
     "https://login.microsoftonline.com/$TENANT_ID/oauth2/v2.0/token"
   

2. Inspect token:

   # Decode JWT token (on jwt.ms or locally)
   # Verify:
   # - Correct issuer (https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant}/v2.0)
   # - Correct audience (your client ID)
   # - Requested scopes present
   # - Expiration reasonable
   

Output Contract

1. App Registration Summary

   • App ID (client ID), tenant ID, object ID
   • Auth flow chosen and justification
   • Single/multi-tenant mode

2. Configuration for Application

   • Authority URL: https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant-id}
   • Scopes requested: openid profile email api://myapp/Orders.Read
   • Redirect URIs registered
   • Secret location (Key Vault reference)

3. API Permissions & Scopes

   • Microsoft Graph permissions (delegated + application)
   • Custom API scopes exposed (if this is an API)
   • Admin consent URLs or instructions

4. Credential Management Plan

   • Certificate thumbprint or secret name in Key Vault
   • Rotation schedule (every 12 months)
   • Deprovisioning process

5. Implementation Checklist

   • MSAL library added to project
   • Sign-in UI/UX
   • Token caching strategy
   • Refresh token handling

Guardrails

• Prefer certificates over secrets: Self-signed cert rotated annually is safer than long-lived secret.
• Never output secrets in plain text: Store in Key Vault, reference with managed identity.
• Request minimal permissions: Only request scopes actually needed (principle of least privilege).
• Enable PKCE for SPAs: Prevents authorization code interception.
• Use implicit flow for SPA: Deprecated; use Authorization Code + PKCE instead.
• Test token expiration: Ensure apps handle 401 and request fresh token.
• Secure the refresh token: Store in secure, httpOnly cookie or OS credential store (never localStorage).
• Monitor token usage: Ensure tokens not being replayed or misused (Application Insights).