One of the crucial areas to cover is planning user sign-ins for Azure Active Directory (AD) hybrid identities. This includes understanding and utilizing Azure AD pass-through authentication, seamless single sign-on (SSO), and more.
I. Azure AD Pass-through Authentication
Azure AD pass-through authentication is a method that allows users to sign in to both on-premises and cloud-based applications using the same credentials. This service provides a secure and scalable solution that can essentially replace ADFS (Active Directory Federation Services) for many use-cases.
Normally, the user authentication process takes place entirely in the cloud. However, with pass-through authentication, the validation of user passwords is performed against your on-premises Active Directory.
Consider the following example. Suppose you have an Azure AD tenant and a realm of employees who use a single, common password to access both cloud resources (such as Office 365) and on-premises resources (such as corporate network and applications). With pass-through authentication, employee password validation is routed to your existing on-premises Active Directory infrastructure.
Pass-through authentication provides several benefits including:
- Users use the same password to sign into both on-premises and cloud-based applications.
- User passwords are validated against the on-premises Active Directory.
- On-premises lockout policies are enforced.
II. Azure AD Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO)
Enabling seamless single sign-on for your Azure AD connected applications allows users to automatically sign in when they are on their corporate devices and connected to your corporate network. When enabled, users won’t need to type their passwords, or even their usernames, to sign in to Azure AD.
Seamless SSO can be combined with either password hash synchronization or pass-through authentication sign-in methods. When you sign in for the first time with seamless SSO, your corporate devices are ‘registered’ with Azure AD, guaranteeing that the feature is applied to all cloud apps that leverage Azure AD for authentication.
In contrast to pass-through authentication, seamless SSO does not require any additional infrastructure to work and can be rolled out to some or all your users using Group Policy.
III. Comparing Azure AD Hybrid Identities
Here’s a brief comparison between Azure AD pass-through authentication and seamless single sign-on:
| Azure AD Pass-through Authentication | Azure AD Seamless SSO | |
|---|---|---|
| On-premises infrastructure | Required | Not Required |
| User password validation | On-premises Active Directory | Azure AD |
| User experience | Same password for on-premises and cloud | Automatic sign-in to Azure AD on corporate devices |
| Security | Leverages on-premises lockout policies | Leverages Azure AD conditional access policies |
By understanding these methods to handle Azure AD hybrid identities, you can choose the appropriate solution to meet your organization’s specific needs, while ensuring streamlined user experience and robust security. In preparation for the MS-100 Microsoft 365 Identity and Services Exam, building a strong foundational knowledge in these areas can significantly enhance your identity management skills.
Practice Test
Pass-through authentication for Azure AD hybrid identities does not require a user’s password hash to be synchronized to the cloud.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD pass-through authentication allows users to sign in to Azure Active Directory and other cloud-based applications using the same password as in on-premises environments, but does not need the password hash synchronization.
With Azure AD Hybrid Identities, Single Sign-On (SSO) can only be utilized on Windows devices.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Single Sign-On (SSO) can also be utilized on non-Windows devices like iOS, macOS, Android with Azure AD Hybrid Identities.
What does Seamless SSO do in Azure AD Hybrid environment?
- A. It eliminates the need for password hash synchronization
- B. It enables users to automatically sign in to both on-premises and cloud-based applications when they are located within their corporate network
- C. It enables users to have different passwords for on-premises and cloud applications.
Answer: B. It enables users to automatically sign in to both on-premises and cloud-based applications when they are located within their corporate network
Explanation: Seamless SSO automatically signs users in when they are on their corporate devices connected to the corporate network.
Azure AD Hybrid Identity solution supports federation with non-Microsoft solutions.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD Hybrid Identity solution supports not only federation with Microsoft solutions but also third-party solutions.
What features does Azure AD Pass-through Authentication provide? (Multiple Select)
- A. Protects on-premises accounts against brute force attacks in the cloud
- B. Allows users to sign in using corporate identifiers
- C. It forces users to remember multiple passwords
- D. It allows users to use the application even without internet
- E. Reduces costs and complexity by eliminating the need for a federation infrastructure
Answer: A, B, E
Explanation: Azure AD Pass-through Authentication protects against brute force attacks in the cloud, allows users to use their corporate identifiers for signing in, and avoids the need for a federation infrastructure thus reducing costs and complexity.
Enabling SSO in Azure AD Hybrid Identity will automatically enable Seamless SSO.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Enabling SSO and enabling Seamless SSO are separate actions that need to be taken in the Azure AD Hybrid Identity configuration.
Seamless SSO works with any method of cloud authentication.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Seamless SSO works with Password Hash Synchronization and Pass-through Authentication.
Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) supports seamless Single Sign-On.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: AD FS enables enterprises to provide users with single sign-on capabilities and the ability to navigate between organizations with federated identities.
Azure AD Connect is the tool that connects on-premises Active Directory with Azure AD.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD Connect is a tool that connects on-premises Active Directory with Azure AD to provide seamless identity solutions.
Seamless Sign-On requires device enrollment in Azure Active Directory.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Seamless Sign-On does not require device enrollment in Azure AD as it works with any domain-joined or Azure AD joined device.
Pass-through authentication requires a server to be installed on-premises.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Pass-through authentication requires an agent to be installed on an on-premises server which listens and sends authentication requests to Azure AD.
Azure AD offers Single Sign-On for applications that support SAML 0, WS-Federation, or OpenID Connect.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD supports SSO for applications that use SAML 0, WS-Federation, or OpenID Connect protocols.
You can have more than one pass-through authentication agent installed at a time.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Having multiple pass-through authentication agents provides high availability of the service.
Azure AD Connect requires an on-premises server for installation.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD Connect is a tool that need to be installed on an on-premises server.
Azure AD does not support multi-factor authentication.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure AD supports multi-factor authentication, providing an additional layer of security.
Interview Questions
What is Azure AD Hybrid Identity?
Azure AD Hybrid Identity combines on-premises identity (Active Directory) and cloud identity (Azure Active Directory). It allows users to have a single identity across cloud-based and on-premises applications.
Can you explain what Pass-Through Authentication (PTA) is in Azure AD?
Pass-Through Authentication allows users to sign in to both on-premises and cloud-based applications using the same credentials. This feature provides an alternative to password hash synchronization that’s easy to deploy, requires no management overhead and delivers a seamless sign-in experience.
How does Single Sign-On (SSO) work in Azure AD?
Single Sign-On (SSO) in Azure AD allows users to sign in to their devices and Microsoft 365 apps using the same set of identities. Once authenticated, users won’t need to repeatedly enter their credentials, as they are granted an access token to use within a specific time frame.
What are the prerequisites for implementing Azure AD seamless SSO?
Implementing Azure AD seamless SSO requires an Azure AD subscription, an on-prem Active Directory, AD Connect, modern browsers, and Office clients that support modern authentication.
What is the primary benefit of Azure AD pass-through authentication?
The primary benefit of Azure AD pass-through authentication is that it allows users to use the same username and password that they would use to log into their on-premises network to access Azure AD-secured resources.
Does Azure AD Pass-through Authentication support Smart Lockout?
Yes, Azure AD Pass-through Authentication does support Smart Lockout. It helps protect user accounts from malicious sign-in attempts by tracking and blocking suspicious IP addresses.
In what scenarios is Hybrid Azure AD Join ideal?
Hybrid Azure AD Join is ideal for organizations with a significant on-premises infrastructure and require consistent identity across on-premises and cloud. It allows single sign-on (SSO) to both on-premises and cloud applications.
What is the function of the Azure AD Connect tool?
The Azure AD Connect tool is used to facilitate Azure AD hybrid identity solutions. It is a free tool that configures the synchronization between an on-premises Active Directory instance and Azure AD.
Can a user be permanently locked out of their account with Azure AD Smart Lockout?
No, even with Azure AD Smart Lockout, users cannot be permanently locked out of their accounts. After the lockout duration, the user can attempt to sign in again.
How can Azure AD Seamless SSO be disabled?
Azure AD Seamless SSO can be disabled via Azure AD Connect. Administrators can disable it on the “Optional Features” page by unchecking the “Enable single sign on” box.
Does Azure AD Pass-Through Authentication require additional infrastructure to be setup on-premises?
No, Azure AD Pass-Through Authentication simply needs to be enabled via Azure AD Connect and does not require additional infrastructure on-premises.
What happens if the Azure AD Connect server goes offline in an environment using Pass-through Authentication?
If the Azure AD Connect server goes offline, users would still be able to authenticate as long as there is at least one Authentication Agent online. The Authentication Agents regularly poll Azure AD for authentication requests and process them.
Does Azure AD Pass-Through Authentication work with federation?
No, Azure AD Pass-Through Authentication is an alternative to federation and cannot be mixed with federation.
Can I combine password hash synchronization and pass-through authentication?
Yes, you can combine password hash synchronization and pass-through authentication as a fallback policy. If pass-through authentication is temporarily unavailable, users can still sign in using the synchronized password hash.
What is the difference between Seamless SSO and Federation?
Seamless SSO is a feature that automatically signs users in when they are on corporate devices connected to the corporate network. In comparison, Federation refers to trust relationships that you establish by sharing certain identity information between partnering organizations.
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