Configuring Windows Hello for Business multi-factor unlock

This week continues the journey through Windows Hello for Business. The last weeks were all about requiring the use of Windows Hello for Business, while this week is all about requiring the use of something extra with Windows Hello for Business. That something extra is a second unlock factor. By default, Windows requires the use of a single authentication factor to verify the identity of a user and to unlock the device. And even though the construction of Windows Hello for Business can be considered multi-factor authentication, as it combines something that you have (e.g. a device with a hardware TPM) with something that you know (e.g. a PIN) or with something that you are (e.g. a fingerprint), the unlock factor of the device with …

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Excluding the password credential provider

This week is a follow up on the post of last week. In that post there was a reference to the option to completely exclude the password credential provider to force the user in to using Windows Hello for Business. This week is all about that option to exclude the password credential provider – and basically any other credential provider – from use during authentication. Credential providers are the primary mechanism for authenticating users in Windows and to verify their identity. Those credential providers are shown as different small tiles to the user as different options to authenticate in Windows. With Windows 10 and later, credential providers are also used for authenticating users in apps, websites, and more. By installation default, Windows already provides a …

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Requiring the use of Windows Hello for Business for interactive logons

This week is all about Windows Hello for Business. Windows Hello for Business provides a really convenient and user-friendly method to authenticate in Windows, as it enables users to verify their identity by using a gesture (face, fingerprint or PIN). More importantly, however, Windows Hello for Business is also an important step in the transition to a passwordless environment, as it replaces the need for the traditional username-password authentication with a strong two-factor authentication on Windows devices. By default, Windows Hello for Business will be an additional method to get authenticated in Windows. When working towards a passwordless environment, it’s important to also take further actions for Windows devices, by preventing the use of the traditional username-password and by requiring the use of Windows Hello …

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App protection policies and managed iOS devices

This week is all about app protection policies for managed iOS devices. More specifically, about some default behavior that might be a little bit confusing when not known. When creating app protection policies, those policies can be configured for managed devices or managed apps. That sounds simple. By default, however, when creating and assigning separate policies for managed devices and managed apps, every iOS device will apply app protection policies that are assigned to managed apps. That behavior is caused by the fact that the device will only be identified as a managed device when a specific configuration is in place. That configuration is the user UPN setting. Even better, the user UPN setting opens even more use cases for managed devices. This post will …

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Microsoft MVP 2021-2022!

Awesome! A few hours ago I received that great email that I’m awarded with the 2021-2022 Microsoft MVP Award for my contributions in the Enterprise Mobility technical communities! That’s number 7! After this strange year, this years renewal was a different experience. That different experience, however, doesn’t make me any less delighted, proud, exited, or honored! To me every award is always worth a small post. On one hand because I’m very delighted, very honored, very proud and very exited of receiving my seventh award in a row, but on the other hand even more because I just need to let everyone know that I’m very thankful. Thankful for my great family. Without their support, this blog wouldn’t exist! Without their support I wouldn’t be …

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