Most of us have multiple passwords for the desktop and mobile applications you use every day. However, with so many passwords, we cannot remember every single one. According to a study conducted by MasterCard and the University of Oxford, 21 percent of users forget their passwords after two weeks, and 25 percent forget one password at least once daily¹. Forgotten passwords cause frustration: research from Widmeyer and Centrify Corporation shows that forgetting passwords is more of a nuisance to users than misplacing their keys, running out of cell phone battery, and receiving spam emails². Now, you may ask yourself, “How can I better manage my passwords?”
Meet self-service password reset, or SSPR. With this helpful tool, you can manage your passwords and accounts without waiting for IT help desk agents to unlock or reset them². In this article, we will explore how self-service password reset works on Microsoft 365 and outline the key benefits for you and your business.
If you are looking to deploy SSPR on MS 365, the setup process is simple. First, in the left navigation pane of the MS 365 admin center, select “Settings,” then “Org Settings,” and then “Security & Privacy.” ³ Next, under “Let your people reset their own passwords,” select the Azure AD admin center³. Once you reach the Azure AD admin center, select “Users” in the left navigation pane, and then on the “Users-all users” page, select “password reset.” ³ Finally, to enable SSPR, select “All” and then click “Save.” ³ Your users will now be able to reset their MS 365 passwords on their own terms.
Keep in mind, however, that you must have a paid MS 365 subscription for your business, nonprofit, or educational institution to implement SSPR³. You will not have access to SSPR with the free trial version of MS 365³.
Now that you know how SSPR works, let us explore the benefits it has for you and your business. One advantage of SSPR with MS 365 is that it saves you money⁴. A single password reset costs $70 in IT help desk labor alone⁴. Considering that password resets account for 20 to 50 percent of all help desk calls, this quickly becomes expensive⁴. Therefore, MS 365’s SSPR tool is the straightforward way to manage your users’ passwords.
Another benefit of SSPR with MS 365 is that it enhances your business’s productivity⁴. When you use an SSPR like Microsoft’s, you do not need a helpdesk ticket or time-consuming phone call to the service desk⁴. Rather, you can simply reset your password with a few short clicks⁴. This frees up time so you can focus on better serving customers and employees alike. Furthermore, SSPR with MS 365 is available every hour of the day. While traditional IT help desks have limited hours, you can access MS 365’s password reset 24/7, on any MS 365-equipped desktop or mobile device⁴.
While SSPR technology saves money and enhances productivity, it benefits your business’s security as well⁵. SSPR with MS 365 provides you with all the security and flexibility that Microsoft’s cloud platform has to offer⁵. Also, if you are an admin, you can update the settings to accommodate any new security requirements and implement them without disrupting your users’ sign-ins⁵. However, this is not the only security benefit of MS 365’s SSPR. With robust audit logs featured detailed information about every step of the password reset process, you can import the relevant data into a Security Incident and Event Monitoring (SIEM) system of your choice if necessary⁵. This can help you secure your business systems while users reset their passwords⁵.
Navitend can help you. Call 973.448.0070 or setup an appointment today.
Sources:
¹The Associated Press. “When customers forget their passwords, business suffers” by Tim Johnson. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/aa74575664144498bd4a76bd9c6d66e7.
²Centrify Corporation. “U.S. Businesses Lose More than $200,000 Annually from Employees Struggling with Passwords.” Retrieved from https://www.centrify.com/about-us/news/press-releases/2014/us-businesses-lose-more-than-200-000-annually-from-employees-struggling-with-passwords/.
³Microsoft. “Let users reset their own passwords.” Retrieved from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/let-users-reset-passwords?view=o365-worldwide.
⁴Enzoic. “The High Cost of Password Expiration Policies.” Retrieved from https://www.enzoic.com/cost-password-expiration-policies.
⁵Microsoft. “Plan an Azure Active Directory self-service password reset deployment.” Retrieved from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/howto-sspr-deployment.
Contact us at 973.448.0070