Week in brief

Cloud-to-AD provisioning guidance expands while COOP, telephony, and SCIM deadlines approach

The period's main development is a new Microsoft Entra-to-AD DS provisioning guidance set covering users, groups, memberships, supported flows, and limitations. User provisioning is marked Preview, while group provisioning is generally available. Other high-impact updates document an October ChatWork SCIM retirement, name initial SMS and voice providers ahead of October 30 configuration, and set a January 31, 2027 COOP milestone. The remaining changes are largely reference, metadata, diagram, and procedural refinements.

  • New overview guidance describes provisioning users, groups, and memberships from Microsoft Entra ID to AD, including supported configurations, user types, attribute updates, enforcement, and provisioning flow. User provisioning is Preview, group provisioning is generally available, and password writeback isn't supported.

  • Updated authentication guidance identifies Soprano and Telesign as initial private-preview providers and says provider selection and configuration through Microsoft Security Store begins October 30, 2026. Administrators relying on SMS or voice should evaluate a provider or move affected users to passkeys or another phishing-resistant method before the applicable retirement date.

  • New guidance says new applications will be subject to Microsoft Entra COOP policy across web protocols after January 31, 2027. Popup sign-in can fail unless applications use a COOP-compatible flow such as MSAL.js v5; delayed migrations can temporarily opt out through the Microsoft Graph `coopEnforcement` property.

  • The Entra provisioning tutorial warns that ChatWork will discontinue SCIM-based provisioning on October 1, 2026, retiring the Entra Enterprise App Gallery integration. Existing customers will no longer be able to provision users after that date and should plan accordingly.

  • A Message Center notice says Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps will update App Governance permissions for the Cloud App Security, Compliance Administrator, and Compliance Data Administrator roles starting in mid-October 2026, aligning them with Defender XDR Unified RBAC. Review and adjust affected role assignments.

For Entra administrators

Prioritize the October dates: affected ChatWork customers should plan for the loss of SCIM provisioning after October 1, 2026, and SMS or voice deployments should evaluate provider options before Microsoft Security Store configuration begins October 30. App owners should test popup sign-in flows before January 31, 2027 and use the documented temporary `coopEnforcement` opt-out only if migration is delayed. Cloud-managed-user deployments must account for unsupported password writeback, and administrators should review the select App Governance role assignments affected by the mid-October RBAC change.

This period briefing was generated by AI from the tracked Microsoft Learn and Message Center changes.

Updates this week

17

Tutorial: Govern access to an on-premises app (Preview)

New feature

The new tutorial explains how to provision cloud-managed users, a security group, and its membership into AD DS so members can access an on-premises Kerberos application. User provisioning is identified as being in preview.

24 September 2026

Plan Cloud Sync Topologies

Doc update

The page updates diagram descriptions and explains that provisioned group members must have an AD account. Eligible members include synchronized users, cloud-managed users in scope for user provisioning, and cloud-created security groups. The provisioning example link was also updated.

24 September 2026

Microsoft Entra provisioning behavior (Preview)

Doc update

The article documents how Cloud Sync scopes, matches, creates, updates, and deletes users, groups, and memberships in Active Directory, including matching with msDS-ExternalDirectoryObjectId and user source-of-authority scenarios.

24 September 2026

Microsoft Entra provisioning setup (Preview)

New feature

The article expands beyond group-only provisioning to explain provisioning users, groups, or both from Microsoft Entra ID to on-premises AD DS. It adds prerequisites, deployment options, scoping filters, target containers, and attribute-mapping guidance; user-related options are marked Preview.

24 September 2026

Test Microsoft Entra provisioning (Preview)

New feature

A new preview how-to explains on-demand testing for users and groups, default accidental-delete and email settings, enabling configurations, handling quarantines, restarting sync, and removing configurations.

24 September 2026

Microsoft Entra prerequisites for AD (Preview)

New featureAction required

A new article documents prerequisites and license requirements for provisioning users and groups from Microsoft Entra ID to on-premises AD DS using Cloud Sync. It also links to configuration, testing, deployment, and agent setup guidance.

24 September 2026

Use directory extensions when provisioning to Active Directory

Doc update

The tutorial now covers provisioning both users and groups from Microsoft Entra ID to Active Directory. It adds examples for filtering groups by an extension value and mapping a user extension into an Active Directory attribute, along with updated prerequisites and guidance.

24 September 2026

On-demand provisioning - Microsoft Entra ID to Active Directory

Doc update

The guide now documents testing individual users or groups when provisioning from Microsoft Entra ID to Active Directory. It adds steps for selecting objects, selecting up to five group members, and reviewing detailed results, retries, and additional tests.

24 September 2026

Microsoft Entra directory extensions for provisioning to AD

Doc update

The article now covers directory extensions for both users and groups, clarifies the supported application identifier and Tenant Schema Extension App prerequisite, and updates examples, links, and related content.

24 September 2026

On Demand Provision

Doc update

The article now states that it covers on-demand provisioning from Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID and links to a separate article for provisioning in the reverse direction.

24 September 2026

Tutorial Group Provisioning

Doc update

The tutorial for provisioning groups to AD DS with Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync was deleted, including its setup guidance, scoping recommendation, and group/user synchronization scenarios.

24 September 2026

Rootly Provisioning Tutorial

Doc update

The documented Tenant URL changed from `https://docs.rootly.com/integrations/scim` to `https://rootly.com/scim`.

23 September 2026

Rootly Provisioning Tutorial

Doc update

The tutorial now specifies `https://rootly.com/scim` as the Tenant URL instead of `https://docs.rootly.com/integrations/scim`.

23 September 2026
16

Migrate Group Writeback

Doc update

The group writeback migration documentation now links to the guidance for changing other attribute mappings.

24 September 2026

Preserve a group's organizational unit (Preview)

New featureAction required

New preview documentation explains how to capture a group's distinguished name in a GroupDN extension before converting its Source of Authority to Microsoft Entra ID.

24 September 2026

Connect Version History

Feature updateAction required

Version 2.6.92.0 was released on September 18, 2026, fixing a 2.6.91.0 issue that could prevent Pass-through Authentication setup through the Microsoft Entra Connect wizard.

24 September 2026

Prepare apps for Microsoft Entra COOP policy

Feature updateAction required

New applications will be subject to Microsoft Entra COOP policy across web protocols after January 31, 2027. Popup-based sign-in may fail unless apps use a COOP-compatible flow, such as MSAL.js v5.

24 September 2026

Connect Version History

Doc updateAction required

The version history no longer states that the 09/23/2026 hotfix will be deployed through phased auto-upgrade. The Microsoft Graph permissions notice was repositioned.

24 September 2026

Connect Version History

Doc update

The version history now lists release 2.6.92.0 as September 23, 2026, and the related 2.6.91.0 support date as September 23, 2027. The page metadata date was also updated.

24 September 2026

User Source Of Authority Guidance

Doc update

The page now identifies the subservice as hybrid-cloud-sync instead of hybrid and corrects the reviewer attribution.

24 September 2026

Attribute Mapping

Doc update

The page’s Microsoft Entra ID-to-AD attribute mapping section was removed and its introductory link now points to the dedicated configuration guide.

24 September 2026

Connect Version History

Feature update

The version history now states that auto-upgrade will move existing installations to the September 18, 2026 hotfix through multiple phases.

24 September 2026

Attribute Mapping Entra To Active Directory

Doc update

The guide for provisioning from Microsoft Entra ID to Active Directory was removed. It covered attribute mappings, scoping filters, sAMAccountName customization, and target-container configuration.

24 September 2026

Rootly Tutorial

Doc update

The guide now provides explicit Rootly fields for the Entra identifier, login and logout URLs, PEM certificate, and domain, followed by enabling and saving the SSO configuration.

23 September 2026

Rootly Tutorial

Doc update

The tutorial now lists the Rootly fields to populate with the copied URLs and PEM certificate, then instructs administrators to enable and save required SSO. The previous instruction to send these details to Rootly support was removed.

23 September 2026

Tutorial Manage Certificates For Federated Single Sign On

Doc updateAction required

Administrators configuring notification email addresses through Microsoft Graph or PowerShell should re-confirm the address under SAML Certificates and select Save in the Microsoft Entra admin center.

23 September 2026
8

Microsoft Entra ID attestation for FIDO2 security key vendors

Doc update

The Microsoft Entra FIDO2 hardware vendor documentation now references MDS version 279 instead of 275 and adds the FEITIAN FT-JCOS BioCard, including its AAGUID and feature capabilities. The page date was also updated.

25 September 2026

How Provisioning To Active Directory Works

Doc update

The documentation now identifies affected accounts as cloud-managed users and explains that password writeback is unavailable for them. It also states that they can access Kerberos-based applications through passwordless authentication using the AD account created by provisioning.

24 September 2026

How Provisioning To Active Directory Works

Doc update

The documentation now specifies that password writeback isn't available for users created in Microsoft Entra. These users can authenticate to Kerberos-based applications only through passwordless authentication using the provisioned AD account.

24 September 2026

Choose a telephony provider for SMS and voice authentication

Doc update

The page now refers to customer-managed telephony providers as Choose Your Own Telephony Provider and updates related headings and descriptions. The availability dates remain September 18, 2026, for provider information and October 30, 2026, for configuration.

21 September 2026

Phone Providers

Doc update

The documentation no longer includes recommendations to pilot with a limited group or prepare a fallback authentication method and support process for delivery interruptions.

21 September 2026
8

Microsoft Entra provisioning options (Preview)

New feature

A new article explains groups-only, users-only, and users-and-groups provisioning from Microsoft Entra ID to AD DS. User provisioning is in preview, while group provisioning is generally available; it also documents per-domain configuration limits and performance guidance.

24 September 2026

Provision Microsoft Entra ID objects to AD

New feature

The new overview describes how Cloud Sync provisions users, groups, and memberships from Microsoft Entra ID to AD, including supported configurations, user types, attribute updates, enforcement, and provisioning flow. User provisioning is in preview, while group provisioning is generally available; password writeback isn't supported.

24 September 2026

Transfer user SOA to Microsoft Entra ID

Doc update

The article now describes provisioning Microsoft Entra-managed users back to Active Directory with Cloud Sync so they can access Kerberos-based on-premises applications while their lifecycle is governed from the cloud. It also updates passwordless authentication guidance and diagrams.

24 September 2026

Provision Entra Id To Active Directory

Doc updateAction required

The guidance now specifies that password-based apps, including LDAP-authenticated apps, must be updated to Kerberos for cloud-managed users to use passwordless authentication.

24 September 2026

Source Of Authority Overview

Doc update

The article’s introductory wording and references were updated, including the link to cloud-first identity management guidance. The described Group SOA and group replication steps remain unchanged.

24 September 2026

Provision Entra Id To Active Directory

Doc update

The documentation now states that password writeback isn't supported for applications that collect passwords, including applications that authenticate users through an LDAP bind.

24 September 2026

Continuous Access Evaluation

Doc update

The Continuous Access Evaluation documentation no longer includes the note that SharePoint Online doesn't support user risk events.

22 September 2026
2

Add app roles and get them from a token

Doc update

The page now documents a shared default limit of 700 app roles and exposed delegated permission scopes per application or service principal, including counting rules, existing objects above the limit, and design guidance.

25 September 2026

Microsoft Entra cloud-first identity guidance

Doc update

The guide now focuses on phased transitions of user and group source of authority to Microsoft Entra ID while maintaining application access. It also updates readiness content and LDAP-binding application guidance, including provisioning cloud-managed users and groups back to on-premises AD or using Microsoft Entra Domain Services.

24 September 2026
1

Protect M365 From On Premises Attacks

Doc update

The on-premises access guidance now links to a Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync how-to page for provisioning groups to Active Directory.

24 September 2026
1

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps: Permission changes for select App Governance Entra roles

New

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is updating App Governance permissions for select Microsoft Entra roles to align with Defender XDR Unified RBAC. Changes affect Cloud App Security, Compliance Administrator, and Compliance Data Administrator roles starting mid-October 2026. Admins should review and adjust role assignments accordingly.

25 September 2026
Message CenterMC1479503 on mc.merill.net ↗Plan for change
1

Supported Accounts Validation

Doc update

The documentation now lists a default limit of 700 shared permission definitions for app roles and exposed delegated scopes, plus an aggregate manifest limit of 1,200 collection entries.

25 September 2026
1
1

Token Protection Deployment Guide - Windows

Doc update

The guide now states that users without a registered or enrolled device are prompted to register it, and documents a different message for users who have not installed the latest September 2026 Windows update.

24 September 2026
1
1

Microsoft-managed CA policy coming to your tenant: Require risk remediation for high-risk users

New

To strengthen your organization's security posture, Microsoft will create a new Microsoft-managed Conditional Access (CA) policy—Require risk remediation for high-risk users—in your tenant, along with a new security group for this policy. This policy uses Microsoft Entra ID Protection to identify users at high risk and prompts them to self-remediate through adaptive risk remediation, allowing users to resolve their own risk without administrator intervention.

21 September 2026
Message CenterMC1476122 on mc.merill.net ↗Plan for change
2

Pim For Groups

Doc update

The documentation now states that credential protection covers group members and owners, including eligible members and owners who have not yet activated.

23 September 2026

Pim For Groups

Doc update

The role-assignable groups description now includes members and owners, including eligible members and owners who have not activated their assignments.

23 September 2026
1

Road To The Cloud Implement

Doc update

The guidance now links to a different Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync configuration page for provisioning groups to Active Directory Domain Services.

24 September 2026
1

Microsoft Entra Id Governance Licensing For Guest Users

Doc update

The licensing table now covers guests disabled or deleted by lifecycle policies, sponsor attestations, and users sponsoring new guests. It also lists the related beta API endpoints for attestation and sponsorship.

24 September 2026
1
3
1

Global Secure Access traffic forwarding profiles

New feature

Global Secure Access now documents a default Private Access profile plus up to 10 custom profiles during preview. Profiles can target users, groups, devices, and device platforms, with priority determining which applicable profile the client uses.

22 September 2026
2

App Manifest

Doc update

The documentation now states that app roles and exposed delegated permission scopes share a default limit of 700 permission definitions per application or service principal. Disabled definitions count, and this limit is separate from the aggregate manifest limit.

25 September 2026

Microsoft Graph App Manifest

Doc update

The documentation now states that app roles and exposed delegated permission scopes share a default limit of 700 definitions per application or service principal. Disabled definitions count, and this limit is separate from the aggregate manifest limit.

25 September 2026
2

Set up a Flexible Federated identity credential (preview)

Feature update

The documentation now explains setup for applications and user-assigned managed identities, using Microsoft Graph for applications and Azure Resource Manager for managed identities. It also adds details about credential properties, including claimsMatchingExpression.

23 September 2026

Flexible federated identity credentials (preview)

Feature update

The guidance now covers applications and user-assigned managed identities, including Azure Resource Manager setup instructions and updated GitLab claim-matching requirements.

23 September 2026
2

Network Content Filtering

Doc update

The documentation now describes Basic content filtering for supported file and text types using Allow or Block without Purview. It adds a warning that blocking HTML or JSON can disrupt normal web and API traffic, and updates the stated coverage from HTTP/1.1 to HTTP/S.

25 September 2026

Network Content Filtering

Feature update

The documentation replaces the Source type condition with Session type, adds a known internet access limitations reference, and revises guidance for WebSocket filtering, API rate limiting, and Purview inspection failures.

25 September 2026
1

Create content policies for network content filtering

Doc update

The documentation now describes real-time controls for content shared with generative AI applications, unmanaged cloud apps, and other internet destinations. It adds details about Basic content filtering and Purview-based inspection of files and text.

25 September 2026
1

Assign users and devices to traffic forwarding profiles

Doc update

The article now documents assigning users, groups, devices, and device platforms to traffic forwarding profiles, including custom Private Access profiles. It also explains that user/device and platform conditions are evaluated together and that the highest-priority applicable profile is used.

22 September 2026
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