We’re just gonna say it: nobody wants to talk about user permissions. It’s not exactly the highlight of your next leadership meeting. But if you’ve ever had to clean up after someone installed “TotallyNotAVirus.exe” with full admin rights, then you already know—endpoint privilege management matters.
Especially if you’re the person everyone calls when someone “just clicked yes and now the printer speaks Russian.”
So, What the Heck Is Endpoint Privilege Management?
Glad you asked! Microsoft Intune’s Endpoint Privilege Management (aka EPM) is part of the Microsoft Intune Suite. It’s designed to let people do their jobs without handing them permanent admin rights and hoping for the best.
With endpoint privilege management with Microsoft Intune, your team runs as a standard user without administrator access. When they hit a wall—like needing to install a tool, run diagnostics, or fix something weird—they can request access for tasks that require elevated privileges. You enable endpoint privilege management once, and the system takes care of the rest: controlled access, logged actions, and no surprises.
Think of it as permission with a seatbelt.
What Can You Actually Do With It?
Here’s the cheat sheet on how endpoint privilege management Intune-style works:
- Run with elevated access by right-clicking the app (thanks to the magical click context menu enhancement)
- Set rules using file hash so only the exact approved app gets the green light
- Decide how apps get elevated:
- Automatic (because we trust it)
- User-confirmed (because we mostly trust it)
- Support-approved (because we don’t trust it yet)
- Add business justification requirements for sensitive requests
- Define whether elevated files can spawn elevated children (you probably don’t want that)
- Everything funnels through the Microsoft Intune Admin Center, where you also manage file elevation requests and track outcomes
You can even go deep and block elevations for specific command-line arguments—or set deny rules for paths like “Program Files\Microsoft EPM” to prevent anything in that directory from ever running elevated.
The enforcement happens on-device through files from the Microsoft EPM agent, a lightweight client that checks everything before giving the green light.
How Much Is This Gonna Cost Me?
We hear you. Intune endpoint privilege management pricing is simple:
- As a suite add-on capability, it’s ~$3 per user/month standalone (aka the Intune Suite Add)
- Or ~$10 per user/month if you want the full Microsoft Intune Suite, including other goodies
Either way, there’s no extra server hardware, no complicated installs—just a clean rollout if you’re already using Intune.
And yes, Microsoft Intune Endpoint Privilege Management for FLW (Frontline Workers) is on the roadmap, for those managing shared or shift-based devices.
Why Bother? Here’s Why:
1. Zero Trust Isn’t Just for Security Slide Decks
Endpoint privilege management (EPM) helps enforce least privilege access—critical for any Zero Trust architecture. No more users with god-mode access. Even malware hitting a Windows authentication dialog gets nowhere if elevation isn’t allowed.
Pro tip: this works best when paired with strong cybersecurity policies already in place.
2. Insider Risk? Handled.
Not everyone with admin access is a villain—but even good people click bad things. EPM lets you log and audit every elevated action, making it much easier to investigate weird behavior or lock down problematic patterns.
3. Remote Teams Don’t Have Time to Wait
The reality of modern work is hybrid. Whether someone’s in an office or on their couch with a dog in their lap, they still need to complete tasks that require elevated access. Intune EPM makes that possible, securely, wherever they are.
4. Less Help Desk Noise
Once you roll out Microsoft Intune endpoint privilege, users stop calling IT support for every little thing. They get approved apps, elevation when needed, and you get fewer tickets asking how to install the printer driver. Everybody wins.
How Does It Stack Up?
Compared to BeyondTrust or CyberArk, Intune endpoint privilege mgmt isn’t trying to be everything to everyone. It’s designed to fit beautifully into Microsoft-centric orgs who want control without installing yet another portal or agent.
- BeyondTrust: Powerful, supports Mac/Linux, good if you're managing diverse endpoints
- CyberArk: Enterprise-level, great if you already use their stack
- Intune EPM: Perfect for orgs already living in Microsoft-land
If you’re already using Intune, the setup is fast, and it slots into your existing workflow—no extra console, no extra tools. Just a smarter way to do admin access.
Also worth noting: this fits right into your broader desktop and laptop management best practices strategy.
Why Work With a Partner?
Look, configuring endpoint privilege management well isn’t rocket science—but it is time-consuming. Someone needs to:
- Map out who needs what
- Tune rules that won’t backfire
- Train people so they don’t rage-click the wrong thing
This is where a consulting partner (👋 hi!) saves you from death by rollout chaos. At StrikeWorks, we help you manage elevation requests, build smart policies, and keep it all humming post-rollout. Whether you’re piloting Microsoft Intune endpoint privilege management or managing thousands of endpoints at scale—we’re in your corner with managed IT support that’s built around your needs.
TL;DR — Should You Care?
If you care about security, productivity, and not getting roasted in the next audit report: yes.
If you’re juggling IT projects and can’t afford to babysit permission settings all day: definitely yes.
And if you’re ready to turn admin chaos into structured sanity—without making users miserable—let’s talk about how we can make that happen for your team.
FAQs
Does using EPM slow down the performance of the user's computer?
No, EPM is designed to be invisible to the system's speed. Unlike traditional antivirus software that constantly scans files, EPM only "wakes up" when a user tries to run a specific file that requires higher permissions. It checks the rules you’ve set in the cloud and either allows or denies the action instantly. Because it doesn't run heavy processes in the background, your employees won't notice any lag or battery drain.
Can I use EPM for my employees who use Mac computers?
Currently, Microsoft Intune Endpoint Privilege Management is built specifically for Windows 10 and 11. If your company uses a mix of Windows and Mac, you will need to look at different tools for your Apple users. For Windows fleets, however, it is the most integrated way to handle permissions because it lives directly inside the Windows operating system without needing extra third-party software.
What happens if a user needs to run an app while they are offline?
This is a common concern for travelers. EPM is smart enough to handle "offline" scenarios. Once a computer syncs with Intune, it downloads and stores the elevation rules locally on the hard drive. This means:
A user can still run approved apps with high privileges while on an airplane.
Rules stay active even if the Wi-Fi signal is lost.
The "Elevation Report" (the record of what they did) will be saved and sent to the IT team the next time the computer connects to the internet.
How does EPM help my company meet Cybersecurity Insurance requirements?
Most insurance companies now demand that businesses follow the "Principle of Least Privilege" to lower their premiums. EPM helps you meet these strict requirements by allowing you to:
Remove Local Admin Rights: You can finally take away admin powers from every employee without breaking their workflow.
Audit Every Action: It creates a digital paper trail showing exactly who ran what software and when.
Reduce Ransomware Risk: Since users aren't permanent admins, most malware won't have the permissions it needs to lock down the entire computer.
What are the different ways a user can "ask" for permission through EPM?
Depending on how strict you want to be, you can set up different "Elevation Settings" for different groups of people. You can choose from these options:
Automatic: The app just runs normally with high power, and the user never sees a pop-up.
User Confirmed: The user must click "Yes" and perhaps provide a reason why they need to run the app before it starts.
Support Approved: The user must wait for an IT person to look at the request and click "Approve" from their own dashboard.
Windows Hello: You can require the user to scan their fingerprint or face to prove it is really them before the app opens.