Implement Self Service Password Reset Hybrid Azure Ad Solution

Implementing a self-service password reset hybrid Azure AD solution can be a game-changer for organizations looking to streamline their password management process.

This approach combines the best of both worlds, allowing users to reset their own passwords while still maintaining the security and control of Azure Active Directory.

Azure AD provides a scalable and secure platform for managing user identities, and with the addition of self-service password reset, users can quickly and easily reset their own passwords without having to contact IT.

By leveraging Azure AD's built-in features, organizations can reduce the burden on their IT teams and improve the overall user experience.

To get started with self-service password reset in a hybrid Azure AD environment, you'll need to meet some basic prerequisites.

First and foremost, you'll need a working Microsoft Entra tenant with at least a Microsoft Entra ID P1 license. This is required for password reset, and you can find more information about license requirements on the Microsoft Entra self-service password reset page.

You'll also need an account with at least the Authentication Policy Administrator role. This role will give you the necessary permissions to configure self-service password reset.

To test the end-user experience, you'll need a non-administrator user with a password you know. This user will be the one testing the self-service password reset process, so make sure it's a user you're familiar with.

Finally, you'll need a group that the non-administrator user is a member of. This group will be used to enable self-service password reset, and you'll need to add the user to it as part of the configuration process.

Here's a quick rundown of the resources and privileges you'll need:

Setting up Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) is a crucial step in implementing a hybrid Azure AD solution. You can enable SSPR for a subset of users, such as a test group, to test the registration process and workflow.

To enable SSPR, sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as an Authentication Policy Administrator. Browse to Protection > Password reset and select Selected under the Self service password reset enabled option.

You can only enable one Microsoft Entra group for SSPR using the admin center. If your group isn't visible, browse for and select your Microsoft Entra group, and then choose Select.

To enable SSPR for the select users, select Save. Microsoft Entra ID supports nested groups as part of a wider deployment of SSPR.

Here's a summary of the steps to enable SSPR:

To enable password writeback in Azure AD Connect, you need to click on Customize synchronization options and check Password writeback under Optional features.

Enabling self-service password reset (SSPR) is also a crucial step in the hybrid Azure AD configuration. You can enable SSPR for None, Selected, or All users, giving you granular control over who can use the feature.

To set up SSPR for a specific group of users, you can follow these steps: sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as an Authentication Policy Administrator, browse to Protection > Password reset, and then select Selected under Self service password reset enabled. If your group isn't visible, you can choose No groups selected, browse for and select your Microsoft Entra group, and then select Save to enable SSPR for the selected users.

Here's a quick rundown of the SSPR settings:

Azure AD for Office 365 is a powerful tool that can be customized to meet your organization's needs. With Azure AD for Office 365 apps, you can add company branding to your logon and logout pages, as well as your access panel.

You can also enable self-service password reset for your cloud users, giving them more control over their account management. This is a convenient feature that can save your IT team time and effort.

Here are some key features of Azure AD for Office 365 apps:

Azure AD Identity offers a robust set of features to manage user identity and authentication. Azure AD Premium P1 adds self-service password reset/change/unlock with on-premises write-back, Azure AD Join: self-service bitlocker recovery, enterprise state roaming, and Conditional Access.

Azure AD / Entra ID identity and authentication provides a range of features, including Azure AD Connect and account replication from On-Premises AD DS, Azure AD modern authentication, self-service password reset (SSPR), and passwordless login and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Azure AD for Office 365 apps offers company branding, which includes customization of logon & logout pages, access panel, and self-service password reset for cloud users.

To retrieve Azure Password Reset events, you can use the Microsoft Graph and the scope AuditLog.Read.All, which requires Global Admin role or permission assignment to the Azure AD Application. The events from the table associated with Azure Self Service Password Reset and Azure Change Password include password reset, password change, and other relevant actions.

To enable Azure AD writeback, start by checking if you have Azure AD Premium P1, which includes features like self-service password reset, Azure AD Join, and Conditional Access.

First, you need to enable password writeback in Azure AD Connect. This is done by clicking on Customize synchronization options and checking the box next to Password writeback under Optional features.

You'll also need to set permissions for the account used by Azure AD Connect, including Reset password and Properties Write lockoutTime, Write pwdLastSet.

To do this, run Azure AD Connect and navigate to Customize synchronization options. Enable Password writeback under Optional features.

With password writeback enabled, you can now configure Azure AD SSPR to use writeback. This will synchronize updated passwords back to the on-premises AD DS environment.

Here are the key steps to enable password writeback:

Note that you may need to extend rights for the account used by Azure AD Connect, specifically for "Unexpire Password" on the root object of each domain in that forest.