Mastering Least Privilege: Custom Roles and Enterprise Personas in Hexnode UEM

In a modern enterprise, managing the “who, what, and where” of device administration is a critical security requirement. Granting universal administrative access—even to trusted employees—creates unnecessary risk and complicates compliance audits.

This guide provides “Ready-to-Deploy” blueprints for the four most common operational roles in a corporate Hexnode environment. By utilizing the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), these templates bridge the gap between technical features and real-world needs, ensuring your technicians have exactly the permissions they need—and nothing more.

1. The Helpdesk Tier 1 (Entry-Level Support)

Role Overview

The Helpdesk Tier 1 persona is designed for front-line support staff who handle high-volume, low-risk requests. Their primary goal is to assist users with immediate device access issues without possessing the power to delete data or alter corporate security postures.

Role-Driven Access Scenario

A user calls because they are locked out of their tablet or have misplaced their phone in the office. The technician needs to clear the passcode or lock the device but should not be able to wipe the device or change the Wi-Fi policy.

Access Scope & Permission Model

• Scope: All Users / All Devices (To ensure they can help any employee).
• Allowed Actions: Scan Device, Remote Lock, Clear Password.
• Restricted Actions: Device Wipe, Disenrollment, Policies, App Uninstallation, and Admin/Billing access.

Hexnode Configuration Steps

1. Navigate to Admin > Technicians and Roles > Roles > Add Role.
2. Name: Helpdesk Tier 1 | Description: Basic troubleshooting and device recovery.
3. Tab Permissions: Enable Manage only. Disable all others (Policies, Apps, Admin, etc.).
4. Action Permissions:
   • Check: Scan Device, Lock Device, and Clear Password.
   • Disable all other permissions/actions.
5. Assigning to Technician: When adding the technician, assign this role and set Scope to All Devices.

Security & Governance Rationale

By disabling “Wipe” and “Disenroll” capabilities, you eliminate the risk of accidental data loss. Restricting access to the Policies tab ensures that a junior tech cannot inadvertently weaken the company’s encryption or password requirements.

2. The Regional Lead (EU Operations)

Role Overview

The Regional Lead is a senior administrator responsible for a specific region. They require full autonomy over local hardware and policies but must remain isolated from other global regions and corporate financial data.

Role-Driven Access Scenario

The EU Lead needs to deploy GDPR-compliant policies and manage local hardware across France and Germany. However, for security and compliance reasons, they should not see devices in the North American branch or have access to the company’s subscription/billing details.

Access Scope & Permission Model

• Scope: EU Device Groups (France_HQ, Germany_Retail, etc.).
• Allowed Actions: Full Management (Enrollment, Policies, Apps, Reports, and all Remote Actions).
• Restricted Actions: Billing/License management and Global Admin settings (APNS certificates, etc.).

Hexnode Configuration Steps

1. Create Device Groups: Ensure all EU devices are organized into specific groups (e.g., “EU-Region-All”).
2. Navigate to: Admin > Technicians and Roles > Roles > Add Role.
3. Name: Regional Lead – EU | Description: Full management for EU-region devices.
4. Tab Permissions: Enable all tabs except Admin.
5. Action Permissions: Check Actions to permit all remote actions for troubleshooting.
6. Assigning to Technician: When adding the technician, assign this role and click Define Scope to select only the EU Device Groups.

Security & Governance Rationale

This configuration enforces Administrative Isolation. It ensures that a configuration error in one region does not propagate globally. Furthermore, excluding Billing access maintains financial confidentiality.

3. The External Auditor (Compliance & Audit)

Role Overview

The External Auditor persona is a read-only observer. They require a high-level view of the entire fleet’s compliance status to verify that security controls are active.

Role-Driven Access Scenario

During a SOC2 or ISO 27001 audit, the auditor needs to verify that 100% of devices are encrypted and that the “Minimum Password Length” policy is deployed to all endpoints. They need to generate reports but must never be able to trigger a command.

Access Scope & Permission Model

• Scope: Global (All Devices/Groups) to ensure no data is hidden.
• Allowed Actions:Dashboard, Reports, Policies.
• Restricted Actions: All Remote Actions, Policy Creation, App Uploads, and Admin modifications.

Hexnode Configuration Steps

1. Navigate to: Admin > Technicians and Roles > Roles > Add Role.
2. Name: External Auditor | Description: View-only for Reports and Compliance dashboards.
3. Tab Permissions: Enable Dashboard and Reports only. Disable all others (Manage, Policies, etc.).
4. Action Permissions: Disable Actions checkbox to prevent all remote commands.
5. Assigning to Technician: When adding the technician, assign this role and set Scope to All Devices.

Security & Governance Rationale

This creates a Non-Intrusive Audit Trail. It allows third parties to verify security without becoming a security risk themselves. By disabling the “Actions” permission, you ensure that even a compromised Auditor account cannot be used to wipe the fleet.

4. The App Developer (QA/Testing)

Role Overview

The App Developer needs high-level access to the application lifecycle but only within a “Sandbox” or “Lab” environment. They are responsible for uploading builds and testing deployment logic.

Role-Driven Access Scenario

An internal developer has a new version of the corporate CRM app. They need to upload the IPA/APK file to Hexnode and deploy it to the 10 iPads located in the QA Lab to test the installation flow.

Access Scope & Permission Model

• Scope: QA Lab Device Group.
• Allowed Actions: App Upload (Apps Tab), App Deployment (Manage Tab), Remote View (for troubleshooting).
• Restricted Actions: No access to Production Device Groups, No Policy editing, No Device Wipe/Lock.

Hexnode Configuration Steps

1. Navigate to: Admin > Technicians and Roles > Roles > Add Role.
2. Name: App Developer | Description: App testing and deployment in QA environment.
3. Tab Permissions: Enable Apps and Manage only. Disable all others.
4. Action Permissions: Enable the Add (under Apps) and Remote View (under Manage).
5. Assigning to Technician: When adding the technician, assign this role and click Define Scope to select only the QA Lab Device Group.

Security & Governance Rationale

This implements Environment Segregation. By limiting the scope to the QA Lab, you guarantee the developer cannot accidentally deploy an experimental, buggy app build to the entire company’s production devices.

Summary Table for Quick Reference

Strategic Value & Governance Excellence

By adopting these tailored blueprints, you transition from a “one-size-fits-all” security model to a dynamic, persona-based defense strategy. This transition does more than just protect your data—it empowers your team to operate with confidence, knowing their access is perfectly calibrated to their specific responsibilities. As your organization scales, these roles will serve as the foundation of a mature IT governance framework, ensuring that the Hexnode UEM console remains a secure, scalable, and audit-ready cornerstone of your digital infrastructure.