---

name: configuring-active-directory-tiered-model description: Implement Microsoft's Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE) tiered administration model for Active Directory, covering Tier 0/1/2 separation, privileged access workstations (PAWs), administrative forest design, and authentication policy silos. Use when designing or hardening AD privileged-access architecture, segmenting Domain/Enterprise Admin accounts into tiers, or containing lateral movement and credential theft (pass-the-hash, Kerberoasting, golden tickets). domain: cybersecurity subdomain: identity-access-management tags:

• iam
• identity
• access-control
• active-directory
• tiered-model
• paw
• esae version: '1.0' author: mahipal license: Apache-2.0 nist_csf:
• PR.AA-01
• PR.AA-02
• PR.AA-05
• PR.AA-06 mitre_attack:
• T1078.002
• T1550.002
• T1550.003
• T1003.001
• T1021

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Configuring Active Directory Tiered Model

Overview

Implement Microsoft's Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE) tiered administration model for Active Directory. Covers Tier 0/1/2 separation, privileged access workstations (PAWs), administrative forest design, authentication policy silos, and credential theft mitigation.

When to Use

• When deploying or configuring configuring active directory tiered model capabilities in your environment
• When establishing security controls aligned to compliance requirements
• When building or improving security architecture for this domain
• When conducting security assessments that require this implementation

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with identity access management concepts and tools
• Access to a test or lab environment for safe execution
• Python 3.8+ with required dependencies installed
• Appropriate authorization for any testing activities

Objectives

• Implement comprehensive configuring active directory tiered model capability
• Establish automated discovery and monitoring processes
• Integrate with enterprise IAM and security tools
• Generate compliance-ready documentation and reports
• Align with NIST 800-53 access control requirements

Security Controls

Control	NIST 800-53	Description
Account Management	AC-2	Lifecycle management
Access Enforcement	AC-3	Policy-based access control
Least Privilege	AC-6	Minimum necessary permissions
Audit Logging	AU-3	Authentication and access events
Identification	IA-2	User and service identification

Verification

• Implementation tested in non-production environment
• Security policies configured and enforced
• Audit logging enabled and forwarding to SIEM
• Documentation and runbooks complete
• Compliance evidence generated