Configure Microsoft Entra application proxy using Microsoft Graph APIs

Microsoft Entra application proxy provides secure remote access and single sign-on (SSO) to on-premises web applications. It allows users to access their on-premises applications through an external URL, the My Apps portal, or other internal application portals.

In this tutorial, you learn how to Configure Microsoft Entra application proxy using Microsoft Graph APIs.

Important

The app proxy-specific API operations are currently available only on the beta endpoint.

Prerequisites

  • Install a connector and complete the prerequisites for application proxy so that connectors can communicate with Microsoft Entra services.
  • Sign in to an API client such as Graph Explorer with an account that has the Global Administrator role.
  • Grant yourself the Microsoft Graph Directory.ReadWrite.All delegated permission.
  • Have a test user to assign to the application.

Step 1: Create a custom application

To configure application proxy, you first create a custom application, and then update the app proxy settings in the application's onPremisesPublishing property. In this tutorial, you use an application template to create an instance of a custom application and service principal in your tenant. The template ID for a custom application is 8adf8e6e-67b2-4cf2-a259-e3dc5476c621, which you can discover by running the following query: GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/applicationTemplates?$filter=displayName eq 'Custom'.

From the response, record the id of both the service principal and the application objects, and the value of appId for use later in the tutorial.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/applicationTemplates/8adf8e6e-67b2-4cf2-a259-e3dc5476c621/instantiate
Content-type: application/json

{
  "displayName": "Contoso IWA App"
}

Response

HTTP/1.1 201 Created
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#microsoft.graph.applicationServicePrincipal",
    "application": {
        "id": "bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83",
        "appId": "32977d3b-ee0e-4614-9f50-f583a07842d2",
        "applicationTemplateId": "8adf8e6e-67b2-4cf2-a259-e3dc5476c621",
        "createdDateTime": "2024-02-22T16:48:09Z",
        "deletedDateTime": null,
        "displayName": "Contoso IWA App",
        "description": null,
        "groupMembershipClaims": null,
        "identifierUris": [],
        "isFallbackPublicClient": false,
        "signInAudience": "AzureADMyOrg",
        "tags": [],
        "tokenEncryptionKeyId": null,
        "defaultRedirectUri": null,
        "samlMetadataUrl": null,
        "optionalClaims": null,
        "addIns": [],
        "api": {
            "acceptMappedClaims": null,
            "knownClientApplications": [],
            "requestedAccessTokenVersion": null,
            "oauth2PermissionScopes": [
                {
                    "adminConsentDescription": "Allow the application to access Contoso IWA App on behalf of the signed-in user.",
                    "adminConsentDisplayName": "Access Contoso IWA App",
                    "id": "5cda2e1e-d9fd-4f69-b981-48fbc8a16be1",
                    "isEnabled": true,
                    "type": "User",
                    "userConsentDescription": "Allow the application to access Contoso IWA App on your behalf.",
                    "userConsentDisplayName": "Access Contoso IWA App",
                    "value": "user_impersonation"
                }
            ],
            "preAuthorizedApplications": []
        },
        "appRoles": [
            {
                "allowedMemberTypes": [
                    "User"
                ],
                "displayName": "User",
                "id": "18d14569-c3bd-439b-9a66-3a2aee01d14f",
                "isEnabled": true,
                "description": "User",
                "value": null,
                "origin": "Application"
            },
            {
                "allowedMemberTypes": [
                    "User"
                ],
                "displayName": "msiam_access",
                "id": "b9632174-c057-4f7e-951b-be3adc52bfe6",
                "isEnabled": true,
                "description": "msiam_access",
                "value": null,
                "origin": "Application"
            }
        ],
        "info": {
            "logoUrl": null,
            "marketingUrl": null,
            "privacyStatementUrl": null,
            "supportUrl": null,
            "termsOfServiceUrl": null
        },
        "keyCredentials": [],
        "parentalControlSettings": {
            "countriesBlockedForMinors": [],
            "legalAgeGroupRule": "Allow"
        },
        "passwordCredentials": [],
        "publicClient": {
            "redirectUris": []
        },
        "requiredResourceAccess": [],
        "verifiedPublisher": {
            "displayName": null,
            "verifiedPublisherId": null,
            "addedDateTime": null
        },
        "web": {
            "homePageUrl": "https://account.activedirectory.windowsazure.com:444/applications/default.aspx?metadata=customappsso|ISV9.1|primary|z",
            "redirectUris": [],
            "logoutUrl": null
        }
    },
    "servicePrincipal": {
        "id": "a8cac399-cde5-4516-a674-819503c61313",
        "deletedDateTime": null,
        "accountEnabled": true,
        "appId": "32977d3b-ee0e-4614-9f50-f583a07842d2",
        "applicationTemplateId": "8adf8e6e-67b2-4cf2-a259-e3dc5476c621",
        "appDisplayName": "Contoso IWA App",
        "alternativeNames": [],
        "appOwnerOrganizationId": "38d49456-54d4-455d-a8d6-c383c71e0a6d",
        "displayName": "Contoso IWA App",
        "appRoleAssignmentRequired": true,
        "loginUrl": null,
        "logoutUrl": null,
        "homepage": "https://account.activedirectory.windowsazure.com:444/applications/default.aspx?metadata=customappsso|ISV9.1|primary|z",
        "notificationEmailAddresses": [],
        "preferredSingleSignOnMode": null,
        "preferredTokenSigningKeyThumbprint": null,
        "replyUrls": [],
        "servicePrincipalNames": [
            "32977d3b-ee0e-4614-9f50-f583a07842d2"
        ],
        "servicePrincipalType": "Application",
        "tags": [
            "WindowsAzureActiveDirectoryCustomSingleSignOnApplication",
            "WindowsAzureActiveDirectoryIntegratedApp"
        ],
        "tokenEncryptionKeyId": null,
        "samlSingleSignOnSettings": null,
        "addIns": [],
        "appRoles": [
            {
                "allowedMemberTypes": [
                    "User"
                ],
                "displayName": "User",
                "id": "18d14569-c3bd-439b-9a66-3a2aee01d14f",
                "isEnabled": true,
                "description": "User",
                "value": null,
                "origin": "Application"
            },
            {
                "allowedMemberTypes": [
                    "User"
                ],
                "displayName": "msiam_access",
                "id": "b9632174-c057-4f7e-951b-be3adc52bfe6",
                "isEnabled": true,
                "description": "msiam_access",
                "value": null,
                "origin": "Application"
            }
        ],
        "info": {
            "logoUrl": null,
            "marketingUrl": null,
            "privacyStatementUrl": null,
            "supportUrl": null,
            "termsOfServiceUrl": null
        },
        "keyCredentials": [],
        "oauth2PermissionScopes": [
            {
                "adminConsentDescription": "Allow the application to access Contoso IWA App on behalf of the signed-in user.",
                "adminConsentDisplayName": "Access Contoso IWA App",
                "id": "5cda2e1e-d9fd-4f69-b981-48fbc8a16be1",
                "isEnabled": true,
                "type": "User",
                "userConsentDescription": "Allow the application to access Contoso IWA App on your behalf.",
                "userConsentDisplayName": "Access Contoso IWA App",
                "value": "user_impersonation"
            }
        ],
        "passwordCredentials": [],
        "verifiedPublisher": {
            "displayName": null,
            "verifiedPublisherId": null,
            "addedDateTime": null
        }
    }
}

Step 2: Configure application proxy

For the app that you created in Step 1, configure the URIs for the application. Assume that the app's internal URL is https://contosoiwaapp.com and the default domain for the external URL is https://contosoiwaapp-contoso.msappproxy.net. Add the external URL value to the identifierUris, web>redirectUris and web>homePageUrl properties.

Also, configure the onPremisesPublishing property to set the internal and external URLs, and other properties as needed. This property is only available in beta and can't be configured until you configure the URIs.

Step 2.1: Configure the URIs

The following request uses the value of appId for the identifierUris property. You can also use any other identifier that matches the application id URI format expected by Microsoft Entra ID. The request returns a 204 No content response.

PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/applications/bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83
Content-type: application/json

{
    "identifierUris": [
        "api://32977d3b-ee0e-4614-9f50-f583a07842d2"
    ],
    "web": {
        "redirectUris": [
            "https://contosoiwaapp-contoso.msappproxy.net"
        ],
        "homePageUrl": "https://contosoiwaapp-contoso.msappproxy.net"
    }
}

Step 2.2: Configure the onPremisesPublishing property

The request returns a 204 No content response.

PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/applications/bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83
Content-type: application/json

{
    "onPremisesPublishing": {
        "externalAuthenticationType": "aadPreAuthentication",
        "internalUrl": "https://contosoiwaapp.com",
        "externalUrl": "https://contosoiwaapp-contoso.msappproxy.net",
        "isHttpOnlyCookieEnabled": true,
        "isOnPremPublishingEnabled": true,
        "isPersistentCookieEnabled": true,
        "isSecureCookieEnabled": true,
        "isStateSessionEnabled": true,
        "isTranslateHostHeaderEnabled": true,
        "isTranslateLinksInBodyEnabled": true
    }
}

Step 3: Assign a connector group to the application

Step 3.1: Get connectors

Identify the connector that you want to assign to the connector group. Record its id.

Request

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/onPremisesPublishingProfiles/applicationProxy/connectors

Response

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
  "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/$metadata#onPremisesPublishingProfiles('applicationProxy')/connectors",
    "@microsoft.graph.tips": "Use $select to choose only the properties your app needs, as this can lead to performance improvements. For example: GET onPremisesPublishingProfiles('<key>')/connectors?$select=externalIp,machineName",
    "value": [
    {
      "id": "d2b1e8e8-8511-49d6-a4ba-323cb083fbb0",
      "machineName": "connectorA.redmond.contoso.com"",
      "externalIp": "131.137.147.164",
      "status": "active"
    },
    {
      "id": "f2cab422-a1c8-4d70-a47e-2cb297a2e051",
      "machineName": "connectorB.contoso.com"",
      "externalIp": "68.0.191.210",
      "status": "active"
    }
  ]
}

Step 3.2: Create a connectorGroup

Create a connectorGroup named IWA Demo Connector Group for the application. Record its id.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/onPremisesPublishingProfiles/applicationProxy/connectorGroups
Content-type: application/json

{
  "name": "IWA Demo Connector Group"
}

Response

HTTP/1.1 201 Created
Content-type: application/json

{
  "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/$metadata#connectorGroups/$entity",
  "id": "3e6f4c35-a04b-4d03-b98a-66fff89b72e6",
  "name": "IWA Demo Connector Group",
  "connectorGroupType": "applicationProxy",
  "region": "eur",
  "isDefault": false
}

Step 3.3: Assign a connector to the connectorGroup

The request returns a 204 No content response.

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/onPremisesPublishingProfiles/applicationProxy/connectors/f2cab422-a1c8-4d70-a47e-2cb297a2e051/memberOf/$ref
Content-type: application/json

{
  "@odata.id":"https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/onPremisesPublishingProfiles/applicationProxy/connectorGroups/3e6f4c35-a04b-4d03-b98a-66fff89b72e6"
}

Step 3.4: Assign the application to the connectorGroup

The request returns a 204 No content response.

PUT https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/applications/bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83/connectorGroup/$ref
Content-type: application/json

{
  "@odata.id":"https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/onPremisesPublishingProfiles/applicationproxy/connectorGroups/3e6f4c35-a04b-4d03-b98a-66fff89b72e6"
}

Step 4: Configure single sign-on (SSO)

In this step, you configure the onPremisesPublishing > singleSignOnSettings and onPremisesPublishing > singleSignOnMode properties for the application.

Option 1: Configure IWA-based SSO

The following request shows how to configure Integrated Windows Authentication (IWA) for the application. The request returns a 204 No content response.

PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/applications/bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83
Content-type: appplication/json

{
  "onPremisesPublishing": {
    "singleSignOnSettings": {
      "kerberosSignOnSettings": {
        "kerberosServicePrincipalName": "HTTP/iwademo.contoso.com",
           "kerberosSignOnMappingAttributeType": "userPrincipalName"
      },
      "singleSignOnMode": "onPremisesKerberos"
    }
  } 
}

Option 2: Configure header-based SSO

The following request shows how to configure header-based SSO for the application. In this mode, the value of the singleSignOnMode property can be aadHeaderBased, pingHeaderBased, or oAuthToken. The request returns a 204 No content response.

PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/applications/bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83
Content-type: appplication/json

{
  "onPremisesPublishing": {
    "singleSignOnSettings": {
      "kerberosSignOnSettings": {},
      "singleSignOnMode": "aadHeaderBased"
    }
  } 
}

Step 5: Assign a user to the application

You want to assign a user to the application. From the service principal that you created in Step 1, record the ID of the default User role that's defined in the appRoles property. This value is 18d14569-c3bd-439b-9a66-3a2aee01d14f.

In the request body, provide the following values:

  • principalId - The ID of the user account that you created.
  • appRoleId - The ID of the default User app role that you retrieved from the service principal.
  • resourceId - The ID of the service principal.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/servicePrincipals/a8cac399-cde5-4516-a674-819503c61313/appRoleAssignments
Content-type: application/json

{
  "principalId": "2fe96d23-5dc6-4f35-8222-0426a8c115c8",
  "principalType": "User",
  "appRoleId":"18d14569-c3bd-439b-9a66-3a2aee01d14f",
  "resourceId":"a8cac399-cde5-4516-a674-819503c61313"
}

Response

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
  "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/$metadata#appRoleAssignments/$entity",
  "id": "I23pL8ZdNU-CIgQmqMEVyLJ0E6fx0ixEo92az8MnhtU",
  "creationTimestamp": "2020-06-09T00:06:07.5129268Z",
  "appRoleId": "18d14569-c3bd-439b-9a66-3a2aee01d14f",
  "principalDisplayName": "MyTestUser1",
  "principalId": "2fe96d23-5dc6-4f35-8222-0426a8c115c8",
  "principalType": "User",
  "resourceDisplayName": "Contoso IWA App",
  "resourceId": "a8cac399-cde5-4516-a674-819503c61313"
}

Step 6: Test access to the application

Test the application by visiting the externalUrl configured for the app on your browser and then sign in with your test user. You should be able to sign into the app and access the application.

Step 7: Clean up resources

In this step, remove the resources that you created and no longer need.

Delete the user account

The request returns a 204 No content response.

DELETE https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/4628e7df-dff3-407c-a08f-75f08c0806dc

Delete the application

When you delete the application, the service principal in your tenant is also deleted. This request returns a 204 No content response.

DELETE https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/applications/bf21f7e9-9d25-4da2-82ab-7fdd85049f83

Delete the connector group

The request returns a 204 No content response.

DELETE https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/onPremisesPublishingProfiles/applicationProxy/connectorGroups/3e6f4c35-a04b-4d03-b98a-66fff89b72e6