[New Blog Post] Selective Wipe Corporate Data on unmanagmed devices (iOS/iPadOS and Android)
1. Introduction This blog aims to detail the Mobile Application Management for un-managed iOS/iPadOS devices and un-managed Android devices. This blog is intended to demonstrate how to utilize selective wipe corporate data. When a device is stolen, or lost or an employee leaves the company, you want to be sure there is no corporate data left on the device. This can be achieved by performing a selective wipe. After the selective wipe is requested, the corporate data will be removed from the app. This will be performed the next time the app is started. This guide will touch on three aspects as follow: Conditional Launch Device based wipe request (Stolen/Lost device) User based wipe request (Employee leave the company) How to initiate a wipe There are two ways to initiate a selective wipe. The selective wipe can be performed as part of the Conditional Launch in the App protection policy or by manually initiating a wipe request (Device based wipe and User base wipe). 2.1. Conditional launch When you configure an app protection policy a selective wipe will be configured. This is part of the https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/app-protection-policy-settings-android#conditional-launch. One of the default settings is “Offline grace period -> 180 days”. After 180 days offline you need to reconnect to the network and successfully authenticate. If the user successfully authenticates nothing will happen, but if the user fails, a selective wipe will be performed. 2.2. Manually initiate a wipe request Here are two ways to manually initiate a wipe request. There is a device based wipe request and a user based wipe request. To initiate a wipe select in the MEM admin center “Apps” -> “App selective wipe” or press https://endpoint.microsoft.com/#blade/Microsoft_Intune_DeviceSettings/AppsMenu/appSelectiveWipe. In the top of the app selective wipe blade, you can select “Wipe request” (device based wipe) or “User-Level Wipe” (user based wipe). 2.2.1. Device based wipe request With a device based wipe request a wipe can be initiated for each user device registered with an app protection policy. If a user has lost the device and a new device is in use. Then a device based wipe can be used to only wipe the previous device. Press the button “Create wipe request” in top of the page. 2. Press “Select user” to select the user of which you want to wipe a device. After the user has been selected the devices belonging to the user will be displayed. Select the device you want to wipe and press “Create”. 3. The wipe request will be sent to the device to remove corporate data from applications protected with an app protection policy. You will return to the app selective wipe blade where you can monitor the removal process of the user. Pending requests can be deleted by right-clicking the request and selecting “Delete wipe request”. 4. After successfully performing a wipe, the device will be removed from the device overview that was display on step 2. Important: The user must open the app for the wipe to occur, and the wipe may take up to 30 minutes after the request has been made. 2.2.2. User based wipe request When performing a user-based wipe request a wipe request will be sent to all apps on all the devices. This wipe you may want to perform when a user leaves the company and you want to be sure that all data is removed from all devices associated with the user. In the app selective wipe page select “User-level wipe” and press “add” to select the user for which you want to perform a user-level wipe. 2. Now the user has been selected wipe requests will be sent to all the devices of the user. As long as the user is on the list. The user will continue to get wipe commands at every check-in from all devices. To allow sign-in on a device you first need to remove the user from the list. 1. The wipe action can be monitored using the https://endpoint.microsoft.com/#blade/Microsoft_Intune/ReportingMenuBlade/userReportSettingKey (“Apps” -> “Monitor” -> “Reports”) or click https://endpoint.microsoft.com/#blade/Microsoft_Intune/ReportingMenuBlade/userReportSettingKey. Important: The user must open the app for the wipe to occur, and the wipe may take up to 30 minutes after the request was made. Author https://www.linkedin.com/in/shady-khorshed-19277723/ is a Microsoft enthusiast. He loves writing on iOS/Android, Windows 11, Windows 365 and related Microsoft Intune. He is here to share quick tips and tricks for all young professionals.
From “No” to “Now”: A 7-Layer Strategy for Enterprise AI Safety
The “block” posture on Generative AI has failed. In a global enterprise, banning these tools doesn't stop usage; it simply pushes intellectual property into unmanaged channels and creates a massive visibility gap in corporate telemetry. The priority has now shifted from stopping AI to hardening the environment so that innovation can run at velocity without compromising data sovereignty. Traditional security perimeters are ineffective against the “slow bleed” of AI leakage - where data moves through prompts, clipboards, and autonomous agents rather than bulk file transfers. To secure this environment, a 7-layer defense-in-depth model is required to treat the conversation itself as the new perimeter. 1. Identity: The Only Verifiable Perimeter Identity is the primary control plane. Access to AI services must be treated with the same rigor as administrative access to core infrastructure. The strategy centers on enforcing device-bound Conditional Access, where access is strictly contingent on device health. To solve the "Account Leak" problem, the deployment of Tenant Restrictions v2 (TRv2) is essential to prevent users from signing into personal tenants using corporate-managed devices. For enhanced coverage, Universal Tenant Restrictions (UTR) via Global Secure Access (GSA) allows for consistent enforcement at the cloud edge. While TRv2 authentication-plane is GA, data-plane protection is GA for the Microsoft 365 admin center and remains in preview for other workloads such as SharePoint and Teams. 2. Eliminating the Visibility Gap (Shadow AI) You can’t secure what you can't see. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (MDCA) serves to discover and govern the enterprise AI footprint, while Purview DSPM for AI (formerly AI Hub) monitors Copilot and third-party interactions. By categorizing tools using MDCA risk scores and compliance attributes, organizations can apply automated sanctioning decisions and enforce session controls for high-risk endpoints. 3. Data Hygiene: Hardening the “Work IQ” AI acts as a mirror of internal permissions. In a "flat" environment, AI acts like a search engine for your over-shared data. Hardening the foundation requires automated sensitivity labeling in Purview Information Protection. Identifying PII and proprietary code before assigning AI licenses ensures that labels travel with the data, preventing labeled content from being exfiltrated via prompts or unauthorized sharing. 4. Session Governance: Solving the “Clipboard Leak” The most common leak in 2025 is not a file upload; it’s a simple copy-paste action or a USB transfer. Deploying Conditional Access App Control (CAAC) via MDCA session policies allows sanctioned apps to function while specifically blocking cut/copy/paste. This is complemented by Endpoint DLP, which extends governance to the physical device level, preventing sensitive data from being moved to unmanaged USB storage or printers during an AI-assisted workflow. Purview Information Protection with IRM rounds this out by enforcing encryption and usage rights on the files themselves. When a user tries to print a "Do Not Print" document, Purview triggers an alert that flows into Microsoft Sentinel. This gives the SOC visibility into actual policy violations instead of them having to hunt through generic activity logs. 5. The “Agentic” Era: Agent 365 & Sharing Controls Now that we're moving from "Chat" to "Agents", Agent 365 and Entra Agent ID provide the necessary identity and control plane for autonomous entities. A quick tip: in large-scale tenants, default settings often present a governance risk. A critical first step is navigating to the Microsoft 365 admin center (Copilot > Agents) to disable the default “Anyone in organization” sharing option. Restricting agent creation and sharing to a validated security group is essential to prevent unvetted agent sprawl and ensure that only compliant agents are discoverable. 6. The Human Layer: “Safe Harbors” over Bans Security fails when it creates more friction than the risk it seeks to mitigate. Instead of an outright ban, investment in AI skilling-teaching users context minimization (redacting specifics before interacting with a model) - is the better path. Providing a sanctioned, enterprise-grade "Safe Harbor" like M365 Copilot offers a superior tool that naturally cuts down the use of Shadow AI. 7. Continuous Ops: Monitoring & Regulatory Audit Security is not a “set and forget” project, particularly with the EU AI Act on the horizon. Correlating AI interactions and DLP alerts in Microsoft Sentinel using Purview Audit (specifically the CopilotInteraction logs) data allows for real-time responses. Automated SOAR playbooks can then trigger protective actions - such as revoking an Agent ID - if an entity attempts to access sensitive HR or financial data. Final Thoughts Securing AI at scale is an architectural shift. By layering Identity, Session Governance, and Agentic Identity, AI moves from being a fragmented risk to a governed tool that actually works for the modern workplace.
Security Info blocked by conditional access
Hello, We have a conditional access policy in place where a specific group can only access Microsoft 365 (deny all apps, except Office 365). The moment a user clicks on Security Info in My Account, the user is blocked by this policy. I cant find a way to exclude the app "My Signins" (AppId 19db86c3-b2b9-44cc-b339-36da233a3be2). Since MFA is forced for this group, they can't change their authenticator app registration. Is there a solution for this? Initial MFA setup works by the way. UPDATE jan 23, 2025: I contacted Microsoft support and this was their answer (in short): " MySignin is a very sensitive resource that is not available in the picker and cannot be excluded in the conditional access policy. Also, the application is calling Microsoft Graph. I understand that this is not the information you are looking to hear at this time, I would have loved to help but the application cannot be excluded from the policy. "
From Domain-Joined to Microsoft Entra Joined: A Low-Disruption Migration Framework
How the right in-place migration approach can preserve eligible user profiles, establish Intune management, and accelerate the move away from on-premises Active Directory. Cloud-native endpoint management is relatively straightforward when a Windows device is new. The harder problem is the installed base: hundreds or thousands of working laptops and desktops that already contain user profiles, local files, applications, certificates, security controls, and years of configuration. Resetting and re-provisioning those devices is a valid route, but it can introduce significant coordination, user downtime, application rebuilding, and service-desk demand. This often creates a practical gap between an organisation's cloud strategy and its ability to move the existing fleet. Can an existing domain-joined or hybrid Microsoft Entra joined Windows device move to Microsoft Entra join without being wiped or re-imaged? For eligible devices, the technical answer can be yes, when specialized migration tooling, careful preparation, and a controlled recovery model are used. However, an important support distinction must be made at the outset. The Microsoft support boundary matters Microsoft recommends Microsoft Entra joined, cloud-managed endpoints as the strategic direction for organisations that are ready to reduce their reliance on on-premises infrastructure. Microsoft also states that its supported path for converting an existing Active Directory-joined or hybrid Microsoft Entra joined device to Microsoft Entra join requires a Windows reset; it does not provide a Microsoft-supported, no-reset conversion path for that scenario. See Microsoft's guidance on Microsoft Entra join and hybrid join. A no-reset migration is therefore not a hidden Microsoft feature. It is a vendor-supported, tool-assisted workflow that orchestrates Windows, Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Graph capabilities and adds the missing profile-continuity and recovery layers. Microsoft may support the underlying platform components, but not the end-to-end no-reset conversion. That distinction does not put the approach in conflict with Microsoft's direction. The destination, Microsoft Entra joined devices managed by Intune, is aligned with Microsoft's cloud-native endpoint strategy. The bridge used to move the existing fleet is specialized and must be validated through a representative proof of concept, with clear ownership for support and recovery. The strategic destination can be Microsoft-native even when the migration bridge is specialized. What “seamless” should mean in practice “Seamless” should not mean that nothing changes. A credible low-disruption migration may still require a user sign-out, controlled restarts, a first sign-in with Microsoft Entra credentials, Windows Hello re-provisioning, and re-authentication to some applications. Instead, a successful in-place migration should aim to achieve the following: Retain the same physical device and Windows installation. Keep the eligible local Windows profile, local files, installed applications, and compatible settings in place. Re-associate that profile with the correct Microsoft Entra identity. Establish or re-establish Intune management in a controlled manner. Restore the intended application and policy targeting. Protect BitLocker and local-administrator recovery throughout the transition. Limit the interactive cutover to a predictable maintenance window. Produce verifiable evidence that identity, management, security, and user productivity are working after the change. The join operation is a milestone; it is not the entire migration. A device is truly migrated only when the user can work and the required security controls are demonstrably active. A step-by-step framework for an in-place migration Step 1: Define the complete target state Do not define success simply as “Microsoft Entra joined.” The target state should cover four connected layers: Device trust The endpoint is Microsoft Entra joined in the correct tenant and is no longer joined to the on-premises domain where that is the intended outcome. Management The endpoint is enrolled in Intune, has the correct corporate/personal ownership classification and primary user, has the required Microsoft Entra registered owner where applicable, and receives the required applications and configurations. User continuity The correct user can sign in to the existing eligible profile and access the files, applications, and services needed for work. Security and recovery Compliance is evaluated, Conditional Access behaves as designed, and BitLocker, Windows LAPS, Defender, certificates, and recovery access are validated. For new designs, a supported Windows 11 edition capable of Microsoft Entra join should be the forward-looking baseline; Windows Home editions cannot be Microsoft Entra joined. Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025; ESU, LTSC, or other exceptional servicing scenarios should be assessed separately against Microsoft's lifecycle information. Step 2: Discover dependencies and segment the estate An accurate inventory determines which devices are suitable for an in-place path. At a minimum, collect: Current join and management state. Windows version, edition, servicing status, disk health, free space, and pending restarts. Primary and additional local profiles, including profile health and size. Source account, target user principal name, and any identity-mapping exceptions. BitLocker status, recovery-key location, and local-administrator or LAPS recovery route. Applications that use AD computer authentication, legacy protocols, device certificates, or domain service accounts. GPO-delivered settings, mapped drives, printers, folder redirection, logon scripts, Wi-Fi, VPN, and certificate delivery. Windows Hello, Credential Manager, EFS, private keys, and other identity-bound data. Network location, proxy behavior, endpoint security controls, and remote-worker constraints. Use the findings to classify devices into practical groups: Ready for a tool-assisted in-place migration. Ready after remediation. Better suited to reset and Windows Autopilot. Better suited to hardware replacement. Temporarily retained as a managed hybrid exception because a dependency remains. This segmentation prevents a small number of unsuitable devices from setting the risk profile for the entire project. Step 3: Replace the policy dependencies—not merely the join state Once a device leaves Active Directory, Group Policy no longer refreshes. Existing registry-based settings may remain on the device, while mapped drives, printers, folder redirection, scripts, certificates, Wi-Fi, and VPN configuration may require a cloud-management replacement. Microsoft's Group Policy analytics in Intune can help identify which GPO settings have a cloud-management equivalent. The goal should not be to copy every historical setting. It should be to rebuild the controls the organisation still requires through Intune, rationalizing old policies along the way. Applications that rely on an AD computer account or machine authentication deserve particular attention. Device migration cannot make an application cloud-ready; application and infrastructure modernization remain separate work streams. Step 4: Prepare Microsoft Entra ID and Intune before touching a device The destination must be ready before the source trust is removed. Confirm: Target user identities exist, are enabled, and use the intended sign-in names. Required Microsoft Entra ID and Intune licences are active. Device-join permissions, device limits, MDM authority, enrollment restrictions, and ownership rules are correct. The correct users are included in the Intune MDM user scope. Required applications, configuration profiles, security baselines, certificates, Wi-Fi, VPN, and update policies are assigned. Compliance policies and Conditional Access rules include a safe enrollment and bootstrap path. Access to required on-premises resources has been tested from a Microsoft Entra joined device. Microsoft documents that eligible corporate devices can automatically enroll in Intune when they join Microsoft Entra ID, provided licensing and MDM scope are configured correctly. Conditional Access deserves careful sequencing. A device may need time to enroll, receive policy, and report compliance. Temporary exceptions, if required, should be narrow, documented, monitored, time-bound, and removed as soon as the migration wave is complete. Compliance does not migrate from the old device record; it must be evaluated again in the target state. Step 5: Secure the migration control plane A mature migration design should use a customer-controlled Microsoft Entra application with only the Microsoft Graph permissions required for the enabled functions. Application credentials should be protected, rotated, audited, and revoked when no longer required. Microsoft recommends applying the principle of least privilege to Microsoft Graph permissions. Where the selected workflow requires credentials to update, disable, or delete source AD computer objects, use a dedicated identity with narrowly delegated permissions rather than broad domain administration. If the workflow uses a Windows Configuration Designer provisioning package, treat it as a privileged credential. Microsoft's bulk enrollment documentation notes that the embedded bulk token can be valid for up to 180 days and that MFA is not supported in that particular token flow. Microsoft documents bulk provisioning for new devices, not as a native in-place profile-migration method, so any orchestration around it remains part of the specialized workflow. Protect the package, scope any necessary policy exception tightly, test it on a non-production device, and revoke it after use. Endpoint security controls also need advance preparation. Any approved migration executable and the system actions it performs must be tested against EDR, antivirus, WDAC, AppLocker, hardening policies, and proxy controls. A good architecture should not require a persistent endpoint agent after the migration is complete. Step 6: Build recovery into the design Changing device trust crosses several systems and is not one atomic transaction. A credible plan therefore starts with recovery, not optimism. Before migration: Confirm that critical user data is backed up or successfully synchronized to an approved location. Keeping files on the same disk is not a substitute for backup. Confirm that a working BitLocker recovery password is available through an approved location. Confirm a tested local-administrator or Windows LAPS break-glass route. Keep source recovery information available until target escrow is verified. Record the source join state, device identifiers, user-to-profile mapping, primary user, group assignments, and management state. Define stop points and avoid irreversible source cleanup until the target state has been validated, where the workflow permits. Document who owns endpoint recovery, identity recovery, and user support. Microsoft recommends storing BitLocker recovery information for Microsoft Entra joined devices in Microsoft Entra ID; see the BitLocker recovery overview. Windows LAPS can back up managed local-administrator passwords to Microsoft Entra ID on Microsoft Entra joined devices. Do not accept a vague “rollback” promise. Look for phase-aware, checkpoint-based recovery that can identify the failure stage, preserve administrative access, and safely resume or repair the workflow. Reset or re-image should remain the documented last-resort recovery path. Step 7: Run a representative proof of concept A pilot built only from clean IT laptops proves very little. Include representative devices and users, such as: AD-joined and hybrid Microsoft Entra joined endpoints. Office-based and fully remote users. Different hardware models and supported Windows builds. BitLocker-protected devices. Large or multiple eligible local profiles. Certificate-based Wi-Fi or VPN. Business-critical and internally developed applications. Users who still require on-premises file, print, or application access. Define success before the pilot begins. Measure device join, Intune enrollment, policy receipt, compliance evaluation, BitLocker escrow, pre-cutover local-administrator or LAPS recovery, post-migration Windows LAPS policy and backup operation, application access, profile continuity, user downtime, failure rate, and recovery effort. The purpose of the pilot is not merely to prove that a device can join Microsoft Entra ID. It is to prove that a real user can remain productive afterward. Step 8: Apply a strict per-device readiness gate Immediately before cutover, an automated preflight should verify: Supported source and target states. A healthy, supported Windows installation and local profile. A valid source-user-to-target-user mapping. Intune enrollment eligibility and available device capacity. Stable power, internet, DNS, and non-interactive system connectivity. Sufficient privileges for the required system operations. Accessible BitLocker and local-administrator recovery. No blocking restart, disk, encryption, proxy, or security-software condition. An unloaded profile during the identity-re association stage. Valid target-join material and required API access. Unsafe devices should be blocked and routed to remediation rather than allowed to fail halfway through the trust transition. Step 9: Capture the state that must be reconstructed Before changing identity, a capable workflow should record the data required to rebuild the intended management relationship, including: Source user, target user, profile path, and security identifiers used for correlation. Existing Microsoft Entra, Intune, and Autopilot device identifiers where relevant. Intune primary user and ownership information where applicable. Assigned device-group memberships and any groups that must not be recreated. Device attributes or tags used for policy and application targeting. BitLocker recovery-key identifiers and administrative recovery status. Local execution logs and a central audit record. In a cross-tenant migration, group object IDs and device records are different. Memberships cannot simply be copied; source intent must be mapped to equivalent target groups, while dynamic membership must recalculate from target-tenant attributes. Step 10: Execute a protected identity transition The exact order varies by tool and environment. The following three phases are an illustrative orchestration model, not a universal sequence for every tool. Prepare and detach The workflow confirms readiness, protects the starting state, prevents sign-in during sensitive operations, and removes or transitions the former domain, registration, or management relationship in the planned sequence. Establish the target identity The selected tooling establishes the target Microsoft Entra join using Windows join or provisioning interfaces. Use of documented platform interfaces does not make the overall no-reset conversion a Microsoft-supported migration path. Controlled restarts and state checks confirm that the target trust was created before the workflow continues. Re-associate and finalize While the old user profile is fully unloaded, specialized tooling associates the existing eligible local profile with the correct target Microsoft Entra identity and aligns the necessary permissions. The local files do not need to be copied to an intermediate location simply to maintain the profile. After the protected stage, the user signs in with the Microsoft Entra account and final management, recovery, and cleanup tasks complete. This is the specialized part of the process. Microsoft does not provide a native supported AD-to-Entra profile-conversion utility, and its documentation states that, USMT does not support moving profiles from AD-joined devices to Microsoft Entra joined devices. The capability, support, and recovery obligations therefore belong to the chosen migration method. Profile continuity must also be described honestly. Windows Hello, passkeys, cached authentication tokens, Credential Manager entries, user-bound certificates and private keys, EFS-encrypted files, application licences, and some Outlook, OneDrive, or browser state may require re-authentication, re-provisioning, or separate recovery. Installed software can remain on the device without every identity-bound secret remaining usable. Endpoint migration does not migrate Exchange mailboxes, OneDrive or SharePoint content, Teams data, or other Microsoft 365 workloads; cross-tenant data migration requires a separate plan. Step 11: Re-establish management and policy intent Following the identity transition, the workflow should ensure that the endpoint: Enrolls in the correct Intune tenant and obtains valid management certificates. Has the correct primary user and ownership classification where applicable. Receives the intended device-group assignments, attributes, applications, and configuration. Re-onboards to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint where required. Escrows BitLocker recovery information to the intended target record. Receives the target Windows LAPS policy and proves administrative recoverability. Registers with Windows Autopilot for future reset, re-purpose, or replacement workflows where that is part of the lifecycle design. Removes obsolete source objects or management components only after the target state is proven. Be precise with the language: the same physical Windows installation may be retained, but new Microsoft Entra and Intune objects can be created. Intune enrollment is re-established, not magically “preserved,” and compliance must be recalculated after check-in. Step 12: Validate, observe, and scale in waves Validation should cover four dimensions. Identity Correct Microsoft Entra tenant and device record. AzureAdJoined : YES, DomainJoined : NO where intended, and successful device authentication in dsregcmd /status. A Primary Refresh Token for the signed-in user where expected. Microsoft documents these checks in its dsregcmd troubleshooting guidance. Management and security Intune check-in, correct primary user, policy delivery, Defender status, and compliance evaluation. Expected Conditional Access behaviour. Verified BitLocker recovery escrow and Windows LAPS operation. Required security baselines, certificates, updates, Wi-Fi, and VPN profiles. User continuity Desktop, documents, permitted local data, and compatible application settings. Microsoft 365, OneDrive, browser, Outlook, printers, mapped resources, and line-of-business applications. Expected reauthentication and Windows Hello provisioning. Business productivity SaaS access, required on-premises access, collaboration tools, and help-desk acceptance tests. Scale only after results are visible per device. A capable platform should provide central status, phase-level telemetry, error details, local Windows event logging, retry or recovery controls, and auditable outcomes. Migration can then proceed through technical validation, representative pilot, early adopters, departmental or location-based waves, broad rollout, and an exception queue. Depending on the operating model, deployment may use Intune, Group Policy, another endpoint-management platform, or a controlled manual process. Suitable endpoint-local architectures can also avoid a dedicated on-premises migration server. Define pause thresholds for first-pass failures, Intune enrollment delays, compliance delays, application incidents, and manual-recovery volume. Both centrally scheduled and guided self-service execution can be useful, depending on the user population and support model. Remote migration may be possible over the internet, but “no VPN required” should never be treated as universal. The answer depends on the domain-leave method, deployment channel, proxy, certificates, Wi-Fi, applications, and source-cleanup requirements. Remote scenarios need stable power, reliable connectivity, clear user communication, and a tested break-glass channel. What capable migration tooling should provide Automated readiness assessment Stops unsuitable devices before they enter a sensitive transition. Explicit identity mapping Connects the correct existing profile to the correct target user. In-place profile reassociation Preserves eligible local user state without rebuilding or copying the entire profile. Eligible multi-user profile handling Supports shared devices only when every profile and identity mapping is explicitly supported and proven in the pilot. Controlled sign-in and restart handling Prevents a user or background process from loading the profile during reassociation. Join and enrollment orchestration Coordinates domain departure, Microsoft Entra join, and Intune enrollment in the correct order. Primary-user, group, and attribute handling Reconstructs policy and application targeting without claiming that compliance state transfers. BitLocker and administrative recovery controls Maintains a usable recovery path throughout the identity gap. Source and target object hygiene Reduces duplicate, orphaned, or stale identity and management records. Remote and wave-based deployment Supports distributed workforces, schedules, rings, pauses, and exceptions. IT-driven and guided user modes Allows the operating model to match different user groups and support capacity. Central telemetry and local logs Gives IT evidence of each phase rather than relying on user reports. Checkpoint-based recovery Resumes or repairs partial transitions without promising an unrealistic one-click rollback. Least-privilege and transparent data handling Limits tenant access and makes it clear what device, identity, recovery, and diagnostic data is processed. No persistent endpoint agent after completion Avoids adding a permanent management dependency solely for a one-time transition. The right question is not, “Can the tool run a join command?” It is, “Can it safely coordinate identity, profile, management, recovery, and validation at enterprise scale?” How this complements Windows Autopilot Windows Autopilot and in-place migration solve different lifecycle problems. Microsoft describes Autopilot as a set of technologies for setting up and pre-configuring new devices and for resetting, re-purposing, and recovering existing devices. It should remain a core part of the future device lifecycle; see the Windows Autopilot overview. Device situation - Sensible approach New, replacement, or intentionally reset device - Use Microsoft Entra join through Windows Autopilot. Healthy existing device where eligible working state must remain substantially intact - Evaluate a vendor-supported, tool-assisted in-place migration through a representative proof of concept. Unhealthy, unsupported, or end-of-life device - Reset, rebuild, or replace it. Device with an unresolved legacy dependency - Remediate the dependency first or retain the device temporarily as a controlled hybrid exception. Windows Autopilot Reset should also be described accurately. On supported Microsoft Entra joined devices it removes personal files, apps, and settings while maintaining the Microsoft Entra and Intune connections; it does not support hybrid Microsoft Entra joined devices. Microsoft's Autopilot Reset documentation explains that use case. In-place migration does not replace Autopilot. It can help modernize the installed fleet, after which Autopilot can support the device's future reset, repurpose, recovery, and replacement lifecycle. When an in-place path may not be the right choice Reset or replacement may be safer when a device has: An unhealthy Windows installation, damaged disk, or corrupted profile. An unsupported edition or servicing state. A roaming, mandatory, temporary, VDI, FSLogix, or other containerized profile that the selected method does not explicitly support. EFS-encrypted content or critical private keys without a verified recovery plan. Business applications that require the AD computer account or cannot operate from a Microsoft Entra joined device. Kiosk, shared, laboratory, privileged-access, or other specialized configurations that require a separate design. So much historical configuration debt that a clean baseline is more valuable than preserving the current state. Low disruption is an eligibility-based design choice, not a guarantee for every endpoint. The practical way forward Reducing dependency on on-premises Active Directory does not have to be a big-bang rebuild of every Windows device. With the right discovery, target preparation, specialized migration tooling, security controls, and phased validation, eligible devices can move to a Microsoft Entra joined and Intune-managed state while keeping much of the user's familiar working environment in place. The most successful programs treat the change as more than a device join. They coordinate device trust, endpoint management, user continuity, and recovery as one controlled process. They use Windows Autopilot for new and reset devices, a vendor-supported in-place path where preserving the existing working state has clear business value and reset or replacement where it is technically safer. That is the practical path to faster endpoint modernization: align the destination with Microsoft's cloud-native strategy, choose the migration route according to device condition and business need, and declare success only after both security and user productivity have been verified. Microsoft Resources Cloud-native Windows endpoints overview Microsoft Entra joined versus hybrid Microsoft Entra joined endpoints High-level planning guide for cloud-native endpoints Plan a Microsoft Entra device deployment Set up automatic enrollment for Windows devices What USMT migrates—and does not migrate Windows Autopilot overview BitLocker recovery overview Windows LAPS overviewEntra External ID email OTP send event requestType always set to "signIn" regardless of user action
Hi, In a recent workload, I'm assisting a client with implementation of Entra External ID for identity management and app authentication, which includes sending OTP codes with customized email templates. To accomplish this, a custom authentication extension has been created that authorizes the request and then communicates with an email service via an event-driven, loosely coupled architecture. While implementing and testing this feature together with the client, we noticed that it seems like the different modes or states in the user flows are not reflected in the requestType property in the request payload posted to the OnOtpSend auth extension configured. E.g., if a user tries to sign in but has forgotten their password and navigates to the password reset view and requests to send the OTP code to their email address to reset the password, the following payload is sent to the auth extension endpoint (the original payload below was logged with Application Insights, with identifiers below then redacted and formatted, otherwise intact): { "type": "microsoft.graph.authenticationEvent.emailOtpSend", "source": "/tenants/aaaaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddd-eeeeeeeeeeee/applications/11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555", "data": { "@odata.type": "microsoft.graph.onOtpSendCalloutData", "otpContext": { "identifier": "email address removed for privacy reasons", "oneTimeCode": "<REDACTED>" }, "tenantId": "aaaaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddd-eeeeeeeeeeee", "authenticationEventListenerId": "22222222-3333-4444-5555-666666666666", "customAuthenticationExtensionId": "33333333-4444-5555-6666-777777777777", "authenticationContext": { "correlationId": "44444444-5555-6666-7777-888888888888", "client": { "ip": "192.0.2.10", "locale": "en-gb", "market": "en-gb" }, "protocol": "UNDEFINED", "requestType": "signIn", "clientServicePrincipal": { "id": "55555555-6666-7777-8888-999999999999", "appId": "11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555", "appDisplayName": "Example Web App", "displayName": "Example Web App" }, "resourceServicePrincipal": { "id": "55555555-6666-7777-8888-999999999999", "appId": "11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555", "appDisplayName": "<client-app-name>-Web", "displayName": "<client-app-name>-Web" } } } } The above payload was captured using browser-based authentication (native auth is not used), with the below parameters passed (identifiers, tenant name etc. redacted, otherwise intact): https://example.ciamlogin.com/ aaaaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddd-eeeeeeeeeeee/oauth2/v2.0/authorize ?response_type=code &client_id=11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555 &redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%2Fsignin%2Fcallback%2F &scope=openid+profile+email &state=<REDACTED> &prompt=login &ui_locales=de-DE &mkt=de-DE &nonce=<REDACTED> &code_challenge=<REDACTED> &code_challenge_method=S256 Following having navigated to the authorize endpoint above, the issue can be reproduced by entering an email address or an existing user identity, then on the password entry view, press the “Forgot Password?” link under the password input field, and then press the button/element “Email code to <user-email>”. I have looked at using the requestType in the email OTP send event payload to determine which email template and email content are used as per client requirement, but noted that the requestType seemingly always contains the value "signIn" even if the OTP code was sent as part of a password reset operation. At first glance, it would seem like this property indicates which step in the UI the user is currently at, even though I’m not certain whether that is what the property is actually meant to represent or indicate or not. However, for the above scenario and requirement, some identifier or value indicating the action would be needed in order to tailor the email content. The alternatives to having a reliable context property in the payload to indicate user action would require more or less significant additional components and infrastructure, thus increasing the complexity of the solution. Based on its name and values, it would seem like the requestType property appears be a good candidate to carry a user action context identifier. A suitable alternative solution has been adopted currently, using a generalized OTP template, which works well, but the requirement that it would be preferable to tailor the content based on user context and intent, e.g., whether the request was triggered as part of a password reset action or for another authentication scenario, is still present, ideally via the event payload sent from Entra External ID to the auth extension. If there would be any further/follow-up questions on the above, e.g., to clarify the requirement, or further explain the reproduction steps and behaviour observed, or anything else, please tell, and I'll ensure to get back as soon as possible. Also, would someone have some input on potential other/additional ways to make the requestType include a context identifier, that would be much appreciated as well, thanks! Regards Kristoffer
Locked account due to many attempts from malicious IP
Hello experts, today, a user contacted me that she cannot access M365 and asked to unlock her account. 1st thing I've checked were her log-ins in MS Entra and there I've found many and many attempts to log in from different countries - like India, Russia, Demark etc... that happened with just few seconds delay.... As a result, the user's account got blocked. Had to deal 1st time with this kind of issue.... See pictures below. Now, it looks like there was another user under the same attack few days ago (who is on vacation so doesnt know he is blocked for now :)).... Anyway, wondering - how I can prevent these types of attack? We have MFA (app auth) configured so even if the password got broken, MFA should prevent the attacker to sign in. I was going to create a conditional access but there are countries like Italy, Denmark (and other EU ones) etc that I don't want to block. We have M365 E3 with M365 E5 Security subscriptions assigned to all users. Would be grateful for any advise.Guest accounts and MFA via Conditional Access in MS Entra
Hi experts, trying to get some help on my scenario and issue that external users started to experience since I've enabled MFA for external identities & guest users via Conditional Access. We have lots of external partners that we share some documentation with from our SharePoint. Some time ago, I have enabled "MS Entra B2B Integration for SharePoint and OneDrive" so that any external user that access shared files/folders in our SharePoint gets a GUEST account created in our tenant. This was also preparation for enabling MFA for External users via Conditional Access. I believe these are called "B2B Collaboration guests" Now, few days ago, I have enabled MFA via Conditional Access for all external users and guests, enabled for all cloud apps and require MFA to grant access. Until now, I got feedback from two external partners that their existing access doesnt work anymore - and they need to go through MFA (which is expected). The problem is that when they go through MFA set up, it ends up in a "loop" - meaning, they go through all steps but when completing the last step they are returned back to the very 1st step again. So they: scan QR code successfully authenticate get the page that it was successful get back to the 1st step asking to install or use MS Auth app The user tried different browsers also with Incognito tabs... When I am checking sing-in logs: guest account is created fine the status is: "Interrupted" additional details: The user was presented options to provide contact options so that they can do MFA. conditional access forcing MFA is marked as FAILED as MFA was not completed Both external partners that reported this are using MS Entra and I see their IDENTITY as ExternalAzureAD. Have not heard back from anyone else using other than ExternalAzureAD so not sure if there is something extra that needs to be configured. Anyone experienced this issue? Any idea what can be wrong? I do not have any cross-tenant collaboration etc configured...
