Creating an AD FS Farm without domain admin privileges

Article
01/11/2024
Applies to:

✅ Windows Server 2025, ✅ Windows Server 2022, ✅ Windows Server 2019, ✅ Windows Server 2016

Overview

Starting with AD FS in Windows Server 2016, you can run the cmdlet Install-AdfsFarm as a local administrator on your federation server, provided your Domain Administrator has prepared Active Directory. The script below in this article can be used to prepare AD. The steps are as follows:

As Domain Administrator, run the script (or create the Active Directory objects and permissions manually).
The script will return an AdminConfiguration object containing the DN of the newly created AD object
On the federation server, execute the Install-AdfsFarm cmdlet while logged on as a local administrator, passing the object from #2 above as the AdminConfiguration parameter

Assumptions

Contoso\localadmin is a non-Domain Admin builtin admin on the federation server
Contoso\FsSvcAcct is a domain account that will be the AD FS service account
Contoso\FsGmsaAcct$ is a gMSA account that will be the AD FS service account
$svcCred is the credentials of the AD FS service account
$localAdminCred is the credentials of the local (non DA) admin account on the federation server

Using a domain account as AD FS Service Account

Prepare AD

Run the following as domain administrator

PS:\>$adminConfig=(.\New-AdfsDkmContainer.ps1 -ServiceAccount contoso\fssvcacct -AdfsAdministratorAccount contoso\localadmin)

Sample Output

$adminconfig.DkmContainerDN
CN=9530440c-bc84-4fe6-a3f9-8d60162a7bcf,CN=ADFS,CN=Microsoft,CN=Program Data,DC=contoso,DC=com

Create the AD FS Farm

On the federation server as a local admin, execute the following in an elevated PowerShell command window.

First, if the federation server admin is not using the same PowerShell session as the above domain admin, re-create the adminConfig object using the output from the above.

PS:\>$adminConfig = @{"DKMContainerDn"="CN=9530440c-bc84-4fe6-a3f9-8d60162a7bcf,CN=ADFS,CN=Microsoft,CN=Program Data,DC=contoso,DC=com"}

Next, create the farm:

PS:\>$svcCred = (get-credential)
PS:\>$localAdminCred = (get-credential)
PS:\>Install-AdfsFarm -CertificateThumbprint 270D041785C579D75C1C981DA0F9C36ECFDB65E0 -FederationServiceName "fs.contoso.com" -ServiceAccountCredential $svcCred -Credential $localAdminCred -OverwriteConfiguration -AdminConfiguration $adminConfig -Verbose

Using a gMSA as the AD FS Service Account

Prepare AD

PS:\>$adminConfig=(.\New-AdfsDkmContainer.ps1 -ServiceAccount contoso\FsGmsaAcct$ -AdfsAdministratorAccount contoso\localadmin)

Sample Output

$adminconfig.DkmContainerDN
CN=8065f653-af9d-42ff-aec8-56e02be4d5f3,CN=ADFS,CN=Microsoft,CN=Program Data,DC=contoso,DC=com

Create the AD FS Farm

On the federation server as a local admin, execute the following in an elevated PowerShell command window.

First, if the federation server admin is not using the same PowerShell session as the above domain admin, re-create the adminConfig object using the output from the above.

PS:\>$adminConfig = @{"DKMContainerDn"="CN=8065f653-af9d-42ff-aec8-56e02be4d5f3,CN=ADFS,CN=Microsoft,CN=Program Data,DC=contoso,DC=com"}

Next, create the farm: Note that the local computer account and the AD FS admin account need to be granted retrieve password and delegate to account rights on the gMSA.

PS:\>$localAdminObj = Get-ADUser "localadmin"
PS:\>$adfsNodeComputerAcct = Get-ADComputer "contoso_adfs_node"
PS:\>Set-ADServiceAccount -Identity fsgmsaacct -PrincipalsAllowedToRetrieveManagedPassword @( Add=$localAdminObj.SID.Value, $adfsNodeComputerAcct.SID.Value) -PrincipalsAllowedToDelegateToAccount @( Add=$localAdminObj.SID.Value, $adfsNodeComputerAcct.SID.Value)
PS:\>$localAdminCred = (Get-Credential)
PS:\>Install-AdfsFarm -CertificateThumbprint 270D041785C579D75C1C981DA0F9C36ECFDB65E0 -FederationServiceName "fs.contoso.com" -Credential $localAdminCred -GroupServiceAccountIdentifier "contoso\fsgmsaacct$" -OverwriteConfiguration -AdminConfiguration $adminConfig

Script for preparing AD

The following PowerShell script can be used to accomplish the examples above

[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess=$true)]
param (
   [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
   [string]$ServiceAccount,
   [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
   [string]$AdfsAdministratorAccount
)

$ServiceAccountSplit = $ServiceAccount.Split("\");
if ($ServiceAccountSplit.Length -ne 2)
{
	Write-error "Specify the ServiceAccount identifier in 'domain\username' format"
	exit 1
}

$AdfsAdministratorAccountSplit = $AdfsAdministratorAccount.Split("\");
if ($AdfsAdministratorAccountSplit.Length -ne 2)
{
	Write-error "Specify the AdfsAdministratorAccount identifier in 'domain\username' format"
	exit 1
}

#######################################
## Verify AD module is installed
#######################################
$m = "ActiveDirectory"
if (Get-Module | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq $m})
{
    write-verbose "Module $m is already imported."
}
else
{
    if (Get-Module -ListAvailable | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq $m})
    {
        Import-Module $m -Verbose
    }
    else
    {
        write-error "Module $m was not imported, install the Active Directory RSAT package and retry."
        exit 1
    }
}

push-location ad:

#######################################
## Generate random DKM container name
## The OU Name is a randomly generated Guid
#######################################
[string]$guid = [Guid]::NewGuid()
write-verbose ("OU Name" + $guid)

$ouName = $guid
$initialPath = "CN=Microsoft,CN=Program Data," + (Get-ADDomain).DistinguishedName
$ouPath = "CN=ADFS," + $initialPath
$ou = "CN=" + $ouName + "," + $ouPath

#######################################
## Create DKM container and assign default ACE which allows AD FS admin read access
#######################################

if ($pscmdlet.ShouldProcess("$ou", "Creating DKM container and assigning access"))
{
    Write-Verbose ("Creating organizational unit with DN: " + $ou)

    if ($AdfsAdministratorAccount.EndsWith("$"))
    {
        write-verbose "AD FS administrator account passed with $ suffix indicating a computer account"
        $userNameSplit = $AdfsAdministratorAccount.Split("\");
        $strSID = (Get-ADServiceAccount -Identity $userNameSplit[1]).SID
    }
    else
    {
        write-verbose "AD FS administrator account is a standard AD user"
        $objUser = New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($AdfsAdministratorAccount)
        $strSID = $objUser.Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier])
    }

    if ($null -eq (Get-ADObject -Filter {distinguishedName -eq $ouPath}))
    {
        Write-Verbose ("First creating initial path " + $ouPath)
        New-ADObject -Name "ADFS" -Type Container -Path $initialPath
    }

    $acl = get-acl -Path $ouPath
    [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurityInheritance]$adSecInEnum = [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurityInheritance]::All
    $ace1 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"GenericRead","Allow",$adSecInEnum

    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace1)
    set-acl -Path $ouPath -AclObject $acl

    New-ADObject -Name $ouName -Type Container -Path $ouPath
}


#######################################
## Grant the following permission to the service account
# Read
# Create Child
# Write Owner
# Delete Tree
# Write DACL
# Write Property
#######################################
if ($ServiceAccount.EndsWith("$"))
{
    write-verbose "service account passed with $ suffix indicating a gMSA"
    $userNameSplit = $ServiceAccount.Split("\");
    $strSID = (Get-ADServiceAccount -Identity $userNameSplit[1]).SID
}
else
{
    write-verbose "service account is a standard AD user"
    $objUser = New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($ServiceAccount)
    $strSID = $objUser.Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier])
}

if ($pscmdlet.ShouldProcess("$strSID", "Granting GenericRead, CreateChild, WriteOwner, DeleteTree, WriteDacl and WriteProperty"))
{
    [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurityInheritance]$adSecInEnum = [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurityInheritance]::All
    $ace1 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"GenericRead","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace2 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"CreateChild","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace3 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"WriteOwner","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace4 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"DeleteTree","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace5 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"WriteDacl","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace6 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"WriteProperty","Allow",$adSecInEnum

    $acl = get-acl -Path $ou

    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace1)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace2)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace3)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace4)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace5)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace6)

    $acl.SetOwner($strSID)

    set-acl -Path $ou -AclObject $acl
}

#######################################
## Grant the following permission to the adfs admin account
# Read
# Create Child
# Write Owner
# Delete Tree
# Write DACL
# Write Property
#######################################

if ($AdfsAdministratorAccount.EndsWith("$"))
{
    write-verbose "AD FS administrator account passed with $ suffix indicating a gMSA"
    $userNameSplit = $AdfsAdministratorAccount.Split("\");
    $strSID = (Get-ADServiceAccount -Identity $userNameSplit[1]).SID
}
else
{
    write-verbose "AD FS administrator account is a standard AD user"
    $objUser = New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($AdfsAdministratorAccount)
    $strSID = $objUser.Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier])
}

if ($pscmdlet.ShouldProcess("$strSID", "Granting GenericRead, CreateChild, WriteOwner, DeleteTree, WriteDacl and WriteProperty"))
{
    [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurityInheritance]$adSecInEnum = [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurityInheritance]::All
    $ace1 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"GenericRead","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace2 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"CreateChild","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace3 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"WriteOwner","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace4 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"DeleteTree","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace5 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"WriteDacl","Allow",$adSecInEnum
    $ace6 = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectoryAccessRule $strSID,"WriteProperty","Allow",$adSecInEnum

    $acl = get-acl -Path $ou

    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace1)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace2)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace3)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace4)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace5)
    $acl.AddAccessRule($ace6)

    $acl.SetOwner($strSID)

    set-acl -Path $ou -AclObject $acl

    $adminConfig = @{"DKMContainerDn"=$ou}

    Write-Output $adminConfig
}

pop-location

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Creating an AD FS Farm without domain admin privileges

Overview

Assumptions

Using a domain account as AD FS Service Account

Prepare AD

Sample Output

Create the AD FS Farm

Using a gMSA as the AD FS Service Account

Prepare AD

Sample Output

Create the AD FS Farm

Script for preparing AD

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