At which level should you activate Microsoft Defender for just-in-time VM access in your Azure subscription?

Activating Microsoft Defender for just-in-time VM access at the subscription level is essential because this setting applies security control uniformly across all virtual machines within that subscription, enhancing overall security posture. When enabled at the subscription level, it ensures that just-in-time access policies and configurations are systematically enforced for every virtual machine, allowing administrators to manage settings in a centralized manner efficiently.

This approach also simplifies the management process, as any new virtual machines added to the subscription automatically inherit the just-in-time access rules without the need for additional configurations. By handling this at the subscription level, it leverages built-in Azure governance and compliance features, which is vital for organizations seeking consistent security practices.

Managing just-in-time access on a higher level, like at the management group level, while also beneficial, may not provide the granularity that specific subscriptions require for tailored security management. Similarly, activating it at the resource level could lead to disjointed security controls and increase administrative overhead as each virtual machine would need to be configured individually. Thus, the subscription level stands out as the most effective and efficient approach.