ENow News & Updates

App Governance Just Got Smarter: Unified Visibility and Automation for Entra ID

Written by ENow Software | Oct 22, 2025 1:44:53 PM

The identity threat landscape continues to surge. Organizations relying on Microsoft Entra ID are facing a growing challenge: how to govern hundreds or thousands of cloud applications, many of which are rapidly created, rarely reviewed, and frequently over-permissioned. 

Recent breaches such as Midnight Blizzard’s exploitation of a legacy OAuth app and zero-day flaws in third-party platforms have made one thing clear: gaps in application governance are now a key target for attackers. Misconfigurations, excessive API permissions, legacy OAuth components, and ownerless applications create hidden entry points that attackers can use to maintain long-term, privileged access. 

With the release of ENow App Governance Accelerator 3.1, ENow is delivering a significant upgrade to how organizations visualize, manage, and secure their Entra ID application environments. This release focuses on Unified App View, ownership flexibility, and improved workflows, combining visibility with automation to reduce security exposure.

Solving the Visibility Gap with Unified App View 

One of the most common pain points for Microsoft Entra administrators is the fragmented nature of the admin experience. Reviewing an application’s configuration typically requires switching between multiple blades to inspect App Registrations, Enterprise Applications, and Service Principals. This slows investigations and increases the risk of missing critical discrepancies. 

The new Unified App View in ENow AppGov 3.1, available in both Pro and Enterprise editions, solves this by bringing everything into a single interface. Administrators can: 

  • View App Registrations and Enterprise Applications side by side 
  • Identify mismatched permissions between registrations and live apps 
  • Detect orphaned Enterprise Applications or Service Principals left behind after cleanup 
  • Evaluate permission scopes and assess whether registrations come from trusted publishers 

By consolidating these views, administrators gain faster insight, eliminate unnecessary portal toggling, and close gaps that attackers often exploit. 

Ownership, Without Overexposure 

Assigning owners to applications is a critical governance practice, but in Entra ID, the “Owner” role grants broad permissions, including SSO configuration and user assignments. Many organizations avoid assigning owners altogether to limit access, creating a different problem: a lack of accountability and slow response during incidents. 

Alternate Owner functionality, new in version 3.1 for Professional and Enterprise customers, addresses this. It allows organizations to record ownership information within ENow AppGov without granting elevated rights in Entra ID. 

This improves governance scoring, simplifies workflows, and ensures accountability, while keeping security boundaries intact. 

Workflow Control and Automation 

Governance at scale depends on consistency. Version 3.1 introduces Centralized Admin Control, allowing administrators to define workflow behavior, exclusions, automation settings, and notification templates from one location. 

Combined with the workflow engine first introduced in ENow App Governance Accelerator 3.0, this enables organizations to detect and remediate high-risk apps automatically based on criteria such as inactivity, excessive permissions, or lack of ownership. Over 25 pre-built workflows allow teams to move from manual cleanup to automated remediation, dramatically reducing exposure windows. 

Improved Reporting and Customization 

ENow AppGov 3.1 also includes several enhancements to help administrators manage risk proactively: 

  • SSO SAML Certificate Report: Identifies all applications using SAML certificates, allowing teams to monitor certificate health, prevent outages, and reduce the risk of token forgery. 
  • Customizable AppGov Score: Enterprise customers can now exclude specific tests from their governance score, tailoring the scoring model to reflect internal policies and maturity. 
  • Enhanced UI: Updated layouts, report card views, and expand/collapse functionality make navigation faster and insights clearer. 

These improvements bring operational efficiency and flexibility to complex environments. 

How does this improve Entra ID application governance?

Application governance in Entra ID environments is no longer optional. Every unmanaged app represents potential misconfigurations, expired credentials, or over-permissioned access that can be abused. Native Microsoft tools provide some visibility, but they often stop short of delivering the actionable insights and automation enterprises need. 

With ENow App Governance Accelerator 3.1, organizations can: 

  • Achieve a single, unified view across App Registrations and Enterprise Applications 
  • Strengthen ownership accountability without granting unnecessary privileges 
  • Proactively manage certificate health and avoid authentication failures 
  • Automate routine governance workflows and accelerate remediation 
  • Align governance scoring with organizational priorities 

This release reflects ENow’s continued commitment to helping IT, Identity, and security teams move from reactive firefighting to proactive governance, turning identity visibility into a strategic advantage. 

Next Steps - See 3.1 in action!

Start by running your free AppGov Score to understand your current Entra ID application risk landscape.

From there, request a demo of App Governance Accelerator 3.1 to see how it can close gaps, automate governance, and secure your Entra ID environment at scale.