Before we proceed, it is crucial to understand what we mean by password protection and smart lockout.
Password Protection involves creating and managing policies that ensure strong passwords to provide a robust first layer of protection. These policies may include complexity requirements, restrictions on password reuse, and enforced change intervals. For Azure AD, Password Protection also includes banning commonly used and weak passwords, which is achieved through a global banned password list provided by Microsoft.
On the other hand, Smart Lockout is a feature that helps protect user identities by locking out intruders who make repeated attempts to guess a user’s password. In Azure AD, Smart Lockout can recognize sign-ins coming from valid users and treat them differently from ones of attackers and unfamiliar locations.
Implementing Password Protection
Microsoft Azure provides a built-in feature for password protection. It can be enabled in Azure AD under the security settings. First, the Azure AD Password Protection agent needs to be installed and registered with Azure AD on your on-premises Active Directory domain controllers. Everything is managed from the Azure portal, where administrators can view and customize password policies.
# Register Azure AD password protection proxy
Register-AzureADPasswordProtectionProxy -AccountUpn 'admin@contoso.com'
# Register Azure AD password protection DC agent
Register-AzureADPasswordProtectionDCAgent -ServiceAccountUpn 'svc@contoso.com'
Do note that the process requires the necessary permissions in Azure and on-premises domains, along with PowerShell scripting.
Managing Smart Lockout
Smart Lockout is typically managed in the Azure AD portal. Administrators can specify the threshold for failed sign-in attempts and the lockout duration.
Using PowerShell, you can set Smart Lockout policies with the following commands:
# Connect to Azure AD
Connect-MsolService
# Set Smart Lockout Threshold and Duration
Set-MsolUser -UserPrincipalName 'user@contoso.com' -StrongPasswordRequired $true -LockoutThreshold 10 -LockoutDurationInSeconds 3600
Smart Lockout is set at the tenant level and applies to all in-cloud user accounts in the Azure AD. The lockout duration in the policy can be set from 1 to 60 minutes.
Wrapping Up
Applying password protection and smart lockout policies provides a solid first line of defense against unauthorized access. As the final note, remember that while these policies are incredibly beneficial, they should be utilized as parts of a comprehensive security strategy, not stand-alone solutions.
For those preparing for the SC-300, understanding these concepts and knowing how to implement them in a hands-on environment is important. Each feature, when correctly implemented and managed, enhances your organization’s security by mitigating common threats such as password spray and brute force attacks.
Practice Test
True or False: Microsoft Azure Active Directory provides password protection and smart lockout capabilities.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Active Directory includes password protection, which helps eliminate weak passwords in the system, and smart lockout capabilities to protect the users from brute force attacks.
Which of the following is not a feature of Azure AD Password Protection?
- A. Enforces custom banned passwords list.
- B. Prevents users from setting an easily guessed password.
- C. Enables automatic reset of user passwords.
Answer: C. Enables automatic reset of user passwords.
Explanation: Azure AD Password Protection does not include automatic resetting of passwords. It only enforces custom banned passwords and prevents the users from setting weak or easily guessed passwords.
Match the following terms with their definitions:
- (A) Password protection
- (B) Smart Lockout
- They help secure user accounts from brute force attacks.
- Prevents users from setting common passwords that are easily guessed.
Answer: A-2, B-1
Explanation: Password protection prevents users from setting easily guessable passwords while Smart Lockout helps secure user accounts from brute force attacks.
True or False: Microsoft’s password protection bypasses the banned password list if the password is complex and long.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Although a password might be complex or long, if it matches an entry in the custom banned password list, the system will prevent its use.
Multi-factor authentication reduces the need for password protection and smart lockout.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: B. False
Explanation: Multifactor authentication provides an additional layer of security, but it does not eliminate the need for password protection and smart lockout. These features still play a vital role in preventing the inappropriate usage of accounts.
In Microsoft Azure, a global lockout threshold can be set to determine how many failed login attempts can take place before a smart lockout is enforced.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: A. True
Explanation: This threshold is customizable by the administrator, providing additional flexibility to match the organization’s security policy.
A major function of Azure Active Directory password protection is to keep track of compromised accounts.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: B. False
Explanation: Azure Active Directory password protection is designed to prevent users from setting easily guessable passwords. Tracking of compromised accounts is not a primary function of this feature.
What is the nature of passwords in the custom banned password list in Azure AD Password protection?
- A. Case sensitive
- B. Case insensitive
Answer: B. Case insensitive
Explanation: Azure AD Password Protection is case insensitive so it matches the passwords irrespective of the case used.
Which feature of Azure Active Directory requires all or some users to register again when a risk is detected?
- A. Password Protection
- B. Smart Lockout
- C. User Risk Policy
Answer: C. User Risk Policy
Explanation: User Risk Policy requires users to register again when a suspicious activity is detected, helping to confirm the identity of the user and mitigate the risk.
The Azure AD smart lockout feature can be implemented for on-premises Windows Server Active Directory.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: A. True
Explanation: Azure AD smart lockout feature can be extended to on-premises Windows Server Active Directory by deploying Azure AD Password Protection proxy service and the Azure AD Password Protection DC agent.
Interview Questions
What exactly is Microsoft’s smart lockout feature?
Microsoft’s smart lockout feature is designed to protect user accounts by locking out any potential intruders who may attempt to guess the password. It evaluates every failed sign-in attempt and identifies any malicious sign-ins to block them.
How does the smart lockout feature in Microsoft Identity protect the user account?
Smart lockout locks an account after a series of unsuccessful sign-in attempts. The default is usually set to 10 failed attempts. Beyond this number, the account gets automatically locked, preventing further password guess attempts.
What are the benefits of implementing password protection and smart lockout in an organization?
Implementing password protection and smart lockout features enhances security by preventing unauthorized access to accounts. It also helps reduce the risk of data breaches and safeguards sensitive business information.
Can the smart lockout feature be customized in terms of lockout duration and threshold?
Yes, an Identity and Access Administrator can configure the lockout duration and threshold according to the organization’s security policies and requirements.
Is there a default lockout duration for the Microsoft smart lockout feature?
Yes, the default lockout duration for a Microsoft account is 1 minute after 10 unsuccessful sign-in attempts.
How does the password protection feature on Microsoft Identity contribute to better security?
Microsoft’s password protection feature ensures the creation and use of strong passwords by validating new passwords against a list of commonly-used, easy-to-guess, or leaked passwords, thereby enhancing overall security.
What is Azure AD Password Protection?
Azure AD Password Protection is a feature that helps eliminate the use of easily guessable passwords within an organization. It uses a global banned password list managed by Microsoft and can enforce custom password policies defined by an organization.
What happens when a user enters a banned password?
If a user enters a password that has been banned, they will receive a message prompting them to choose a password that is not commonly used or easily guessable.
Does Microsoft’s password protection automatically update its list of banned passwords?
Yes, Microsoft manages and frequently updates the list of banned passwords commonly used worldwide, ensuring it keeps up with evolving security threats.
Can the Azure AD Password Protection feature be extended to on-premises Windows Server Active Directory?
Yes, Microsoft provides an Azure AD Password Protection proxy service that can extend this feature to on-premises Windows Server Active Directory.
How many lockout settings are present in the Azure AD smart lockout feature?
There are two lockout settings, the threshold for lockout and the lockout duration.
Can the Azure AD smart lockout settings be employed for all users?
Yes, the Azure AD smart lockout settings apply to all authentication attempts for all users in your Azure AD tenant.
Is it possible to unlock a locked account manually before the smart lockout duration ends?
No. Once an account is locked due to smart lockout policies, it cannot be manually unlocked before the set lockout duration ends.
Are there any prerequisites to employ Azure AD Password Protection?
The only prerequisite is to have either an Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 license to use Azure AD Password Protection.
Are there any specific alerts or notifications when an account gets locked due to smart lockout policies?
Yes, users will receive an email notification informing them when their account is locked due to smart lockout.
extutorials.com