
Active Directory Single Sign-On (AD SSO) is a powerful authentication mechanism designed to enhance user experience while enhancing organizational security. By enabling users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications and systems seamlessly, AD SSO eliminates the need for repetitive credential entry across different platforms.

This technology leverages Active Directory, a widely used directory service, to streamline access to business applications and IT systems, both internal and third-party. Not only simplifies the login process for employees and external users, but it also aligns with modern [identity and access management (IAM)](https://www.miniorange.com/iam/) strategies, which prioritize efficiency, security, and a better user experience.

AD SSO plays a critical role in reducing password fatigue, enhancing productivity, and improving overall security by integrating seamlessly into broader [Zero Trust](https://www.miniorange.com/blog/tag/Zero%20Trust/) frameworks. For businesses seeking to unify access while maintaining stringent security controls, AD SSO offers a robust solution. This guide will dive deeper into how it works, its benefits, and its relevance in today’s dynamic IT environments.

### What is Active Directory? {#what-is-active-directory}
Active Directory (AD) is a directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It serves as a central hub for managing network resources, enabling administrators to set up and control permissions and access to networked resources. AD is primarily used to [authenticate and authorize](https://www.miniorange.com/blog/authentication-authorization-difference/) users and computers in a Windows domain type network, assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers and installing or updating software across a network.

For organizations expanding beyond on-premises infrastructure, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) extends these capabilities to the cloud. Azure AD provides seamless [single sign-on](https://www.miniorange.com/products/single-sign-on-sso) to both cloud and on-premises applications, supports a variety of devices including iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows, and enhances security with integrated [multi-factor authentication](https://www.miniorange.com/products/multi-factor-authentication-mfa). This integration allows businesses to maintain a consistent identity across their on-premises and cloud environments, simplifying user management while enhancing data security.

### What is AD SSO? {#what-is-ad-sso}
Active Directory Single Sign-On (AD SSO) is a feature within Microsoft's directory services that simplifies the user authentication process across multiple applications. With AD SSO, users can log in once with a single set of login credentials, granting them access to a range of applications and services without the need to sign in again for each one separately. This is accomplished through the creation and validation of access tokens. When a user first logs in, AD generates an access token, a digital key that grants permission to the suite of applications they are authorized to access. This token is stored locally on the user's device and is checked each time the user accesses a new application, seamlessly validating their credentials.

### 5 Key Benefits of AD SSO {#5-key-benefits-of-ad-sso}

#### **1. Seamless Integration with Applications**
 AD SSO effortlessly integrates with a wide range of applications, enabling users to access the tools and resources they need without the hassle of repeated logins. This compatibility ensures smooth functionality across enterprise ecosystems.

#### **2. Simplified User Access**
 By centralizing authentication, AD SSO streamlines user access, allowing employees to log in just once and get access to all authorized applications. This reduces disruptions and boosts productivity.

#### **3. Enhanced Security**
 AD SSO minimizes the risks associated with multiple login attempts. Features like multi-factor authentication (MFA), add an additional layer of security, ensuring that sensitive data and applications are well-protected, even if credentials are compromised.

#### **4. Reduced Password Fatigue**
 Users no longer need to remember or manage multiple passwords, reducing the likelihood of weak or reused credentials. This improvement not only enhances security but also improves the user experience by eliminating unnecessary password-related frustrations.

#### **5. Streamlined IT Management**
 AD SSO simplifies IT operations by reducing the need for password resets and other login-related issues. This allows IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine administrative tasks, leading to more efficient management.


### How to Set Up Azure AD SSO {#how-to-set-up-azure-ad-sso}
Setting up Single Sign-On (SSO) with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) simplifies user access to applications while enhancing security. Follow these steps to configure Azure AD SSO effectively:

#### **Step 1: Prepare Your Environment**
Before enabling SSO, ensure the necessary prerequisites are in place to support seamless integration:
- Set up the Azure AD Connect server and ensure it supports the required network configuration.
- Acquire domain administrator credentials for configuration.
- Enable the modern authentication feature for your Azure AD tenant.
- Update client systems to the latest Microsoft 365 version for compatibility.

These preparations lay the foundation for a successful SSO implementation.

#### **Step 2: Activate Seamless SSO**
To enable seamless SSO, follow these steps based on your Azure AD Connect setup:
- **For a Fresh Installation:**  
 During the installation process of Azure AD Connect, choose the Custom installation option. On the User sign-in page, select Enable single sign-on to proceed with the configuration.
- **For an Existing Installation:**  
If Azure AD Connect is already installed, navigate to Change user sign-in in Azure AD Connect and click Next. For versions 1.1.880.0 and above, seamless SSO is selected by default; for older versions, you’ll need to enable it manually.

Follow the configuration wizard to the Enable single sign-on page. Provide the domain administrator credentials for each Active Directory forest synced to Azure AD via Azure AD Connect. Once the setup is complete, seamless SSO will be enabled on your tenant.

#### **Step 3: Verify SSO Configuration**
Ensure that Azure AD SSO is functioning correctly:
1. Log in to the Azure AD admin center using global administrator credentials.
2. Navigate to Azure Active Directory on the left menu.
3. Select Azure AD Connect from the options.
4. Confirm that the Seamless single sign-on field is marked Enabled.

### AD SSO Protocols: SAML vs. OAuth {#ad-sso-protocols-saml-vs-oauth}
Active Directory (AD) Single Sign-On (SSO) uses authentication protocols like [SAML](https://www.miniorange.com/iam/solutions/saml-single-sign-on-sso) and [OAuth](https://www.miniorange.com/iam/solutions/oauth-single-sign-on-sso) to provide seamless and secure user access to applications. These protocols differ in functionality and are suited for specific use cases, depending on the type of application and its authentication requirements.

#### **Overview of SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)**
SAML is an XML-based protocol designed for secure and efficient user authentication and authorization. It enables identity providers (like AD) to share authentication information with service providers (applications), allowing users to log in once and access multiple applications without the need to reauthenticate. Used for apps that don’t support OAuth or OpenID Connect (OIDC).  Frequently used for older or on-premises applications. 

#### **Overview of OAuth (Open Authorization)**
OAuth is a modern protocol designed for authorization rather than authentication, commonly used in cloud and mobile applications. It enables users to grant limited access to applications without sharing their passwords. When combined with OpenID Connect (OIDC), OAuth supports authentication workflows as well. This is suitable for cloud-based or third-party applications. It also Allows granular access control, specifying what resources an app can access.

#### **Choosing the Right Protocol**
At last, the decision to use SAML or OAuth depends on the application’s environment and its support for authentication protocols:
- Use SAML for legacy, enterprise, or on-premises applications without OAuth support.
- Use OAuth (or OIDC) for modern, cloud-based, or third-party applications that benefit from [fine-grained access control](https://www.miniorange.com/blog/what-is-fined-gained-access-control/).  

In conclusion, implementing AD SSO is a game-changer for organizations striving to enhance security, streamline operations, and deliver a seamless user experience. However, the complexity of setting up and managing AD SSO requires a solution that is both robust and user-friendly. This is where [miniOrange](https://www.miniorange.com/) steps in.  

With its expertise in identity and access management, miniOrange simplifies the deployment of AD SSO, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of applications and protocols like SAML, OAuth, and OIDC. Beyond technical integration, miniOrange provides enhanced security features such as multi-factor authentication and session monitoring to align with your organization's [Zero Trust framework](https://www.miniorange.com/blog/zero-trust-security-model/). Partner with miniOrange to make your AD SSO implementation not just effective but transformative for your business. Let us help you secure, simplify, and scale your access management today.



### FAQs {#faq}
#### **1. What is the difference between AD SSO and Azure AD SSO?**
AD SSO (Active Directory Single Sign-On) majorly works within on-premises networks to manage user access to network resources. On the other hand, Azure AD SSO is designed for cloud services, providing SSO access to a wide range of web-based applications from anywhere.

#### **2. How does SAML SSO work with Active Directory?**
SAML SSO for Active Directory allows users to log in once and access multiple services without re-entering credentials. It connects AD with other SAML-compliant services, using AD as the identity provider to authenticate and authorize user access across different platforms securely.

#### **3. Can AD SSO be used with non-Windows platforms?**
Yes, AD SSO can be used with non-Windows platforms. It integrates with various systems and applications across different operating systems, such as macOS and Linux, allowing seamless user authentication and access management across diverse environments.


Active Directory Single Sign-On (AD SSO) simplifies authentication, enhancing security and reducing password fatigue. This blog covers its workings, benefits, and business impact.

What is AD SSO? A Comprehensive Guide to Active Directory Single Sign-On

With the news that Microsoft has discontinued selling ‘Azure MFA server’ from 2018, [Microsoft Azure MFA](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-mfa-howitworks) customers are looking to migrate to another MFA providing vendor.  

Migrations are most successful when handled with the best methods and planned approach. It is also important to understand that Migration can be challenging sometimes and needs the understanding to resolve issues.  

miniOrange is taking all these issues like MFA methods & **providing support to all organizations for easy and free migration from the Azure MFA server as its infrastructure is built for both On-premise and Cloud solutions**. miniOrange Identity platform ensures the organizations benefit from the use of its solution by ensuring their Azure AD tokens can coexist with their miniOrange Identity Platform deployment until all users are fully migrated.  

Issues such as Multi-Tenant Support or Third Party Support are faced by Azure MFA users are also acknowledged by miniOrange by providing Multiple domain support to users and enabling Integration with third-party Identity Providers. miniOrange provides a modern identity platform for such migrations in order to solve these problems of authentication.  

&nbsp;  

#### **Current situation of Microsoft Azure MFA Server**
Microsoft Azure server was previously used for users to store in AD but it is discontinued. It cannot be considered for any new implementation as

- Microsoft no longer invests in this methodology.
- There is a lack of integration with SSPR and Azure MFA Cloud.
- There is no solution to seamlessly migrate MFA Server to MFA Cloud-based solution using a tool or software.  

**For further details check [here](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/multi-factor-authentication-faq) about Azure MFA current situation.**

### Key advantages of using miniOrange Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) {#key-advantages-of-using-miniorange-multi-factor-authentication-mfa}

- miniOrange provides a solution to the migration path for Azure MFA customers providing a smooth workflow process and a good user interface. Authentication is the most crucial and identity security solution to avoid much brute force, phishing attacks, credentials stuffing and secure access to the data for all the workspaces and customer authorizations.
- Replacing Azure MFA server with [miniOrange Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)](https://www.miniorange.com/blog/what-is-multi-factor-authentication-mfa/) helps you in authenticating users by verifying two or more verification factors and ensuring the right set of authentication to your sensitive information and protect user identities on both cloud and on-premise which is not provided by Azure MFA server in on-premise.
- With the increase of security risks across global organizations, miniOrange updated the features with [15+ authentication methods](https://www.miniorange.com/iam/content-library/admin-docs/configure-mfa-methods-for-admins) that include SoftToken, Push, QR Code using Google, Microsoft, and [miniOrange authenticator app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miniorange.android.authenticator&hl=en_IN&gl=US) and Hardware Tokens like- Yubikey, Display with various popular integrations with [OpenVPN](https://www.miniorange.com/two-factor-authentication-for-open-vpn), [Fortinet](https://www.miniorange.com/two-factor-authentication-for-fortinet), [Windows](https://www.miniorange.com/two-factor-authentication-(2fa)-for-windows-login-and-rdp), [Sharepoint](https://www.miniorange.com/two-factor-authentication-(2fa)-for-sharepoint), [Office 365](https://www.miniorange.com/two-factor-authentication-(2fa)-for-office-365), and many more.
- In this era of telecommunication, MFA allows employees to safely access data from any device or location without putting sensitive data at risk. Having a second form of identification greatly decreases the chance of a hacker gaining access to corporate devices or other sensitive information.  


### How to Migrate from Microsoft Azure MFA Server to miniOrange Identity Platform? {#how-to-migrate-from-microsoft-azure-mfa-server-to-miniorange-identity-platform}

miniOrange supports seamless integration of MFA for AD users. Here miniOrange Identity Provider (On-Premise or the Cloud version) will connect to your Enterprise Active Directory and make a Manual import of all the users from the AD to the miniOrange. Once that is done, users will be easily able to reconfigure their MFA methods. Here the AD user will use his AD credentials and the configured MFA method in miniOrange to log into the applications that he requires.  

For all the users that are created after the initial import, we support an On the Fly user creation and synchronization capabilities that allow users and their data to be in sync with Active Directory.

![Microsoft Azure MFA Server](/blog/assets/2023/microsoft-azure-mfa-server.webp)

### Microsoft Azure MFA VS miniOrange {#microsoft-azure-mfa-vs-miniorange}

| Features | Microsoft Azure MFA | miniOrange |
| -------- | ------------------- | ---------- |
| Infrastructure | Cloud Solution | Cloud as well as On-Premise solution |
| Support | Support available at a premium cost | Reliable and Efficient support available at low costs |
| Update/Upgrades | EOL Announced for MFA server | Continuous Update/Upgrades will be available for both Cloud as well as On-Premise |
| Price | Comparatively Costly | Cost-Effective |
| Licensing | Relatively complex licensing | Flexible and simple licensing model. |
| MFA Methods | Supports only 8 MFA methods | 15+ MFA methods |
| Offline MFA | Offline mode not available for MFA | Provides full MFA security even in Offline mode |
| MFA Integrations with Windows VPN/RDP clients | Requires NPS to be installed | NPS is not required |
| Multi-Tenant Support for Radius Authentication | Supports single tenant as NPS is required to be deployed | Supports multiple domains |
| Third-Party IdP Support | Adding an external IDP is complex, involves Platform changes and setting up policies | Integration with third-party Identity Providers |
| User Directory Integration | Azure Active Directory is limited and doesn’t support any other | Users can authenticate via any user directory like AD/LDAP, any external database like HRMS system, AWS Cognito |

### Conclusion {#conclusion}
Understanding the challenges of migration and dealing with problems of Authentication is important keeping in mind about the trouble-free experience for users. The Azure MFA server has discontinued its service but the identity providers are ready to resolve those authentication gaps. miniOrange Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) services ensure that the right set of eyes have access to your sensitive information sitting on the cloud or on-premise.  

Moving behind username and passwords, miniOrange provides multiple types of authentications based on clients, devices, and locations, and a set of updated factors to verify any user.  

&nbsp;  

&nbsp;  


#### **Further Reading**  
- [What is Multi-Factor Authentication – MFA?](https://www.miniorange.com/blog/what-is-multi-factor-authentication-mfa/)  
- [Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)](https://www.miniorange.com/adaptive-multi-factor-authentication-mfa) 
- [What is Single Sign-On SSO?](https://www.miniorange.com/products/single-sign-on-sso)  
- [Identity Broker Service](https://www.miniorange.com/products/identity-broker-service)

miniOrange provides free and easy support to migrate from Microsoft Azure Multi-Factor Authentication MFA Cloud and On-Premise Server.

Migrating from Microsoft Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Server


Microsoft in their breach investigation report stated that **[“Over 75% of network intrusions originated from exploited weak or stolen credentials”](https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/01/22/microsoft-security-shocker-as-250-million-customer-records-exposed-online/?sh=aeb7edc4d1b3)**. So, how can organizations / individual users who are using Office 365 apps as a daily routine can protect themselves against threats from cyber-attackers? What if sensitive data is suddenly lost? To sum up these questions you’ll be thinking that your Microsoft Office 365 account is secured with Username – Password based login. But do you think this security measure is enough to secure your sensitive data around Microsoft 365 Apps? Indeed No.

You would possibly not be aware of the fact that attackers nowadays do not believe in “Hacking” to carry out data breaches. They use the e-mail address, passwords present on the dark web and easily log in by exploiting weak, stolen, or compromised credentials and gain access to the company’s most crucial network infrastructure and sensitive data. Here companies need to secure their data using something more than just Username and Password authentication.

**Wondering what should be the simplest choice to do so?**

**Microsoft 365 MFA** becomes one of the savior solutions to beat this example and provide secure access to your organizational users and protect your mission-critical apps and company data. 

So before proceeding with an [MFA](https://blog.miniorange.com/what-is-multi-factor-authentication-mfa/) solution for the Microsoft 365 platform you ought to be clear about few basic aspects —

- What is **Office 365 MFA**?
- Need of MFA in a Microsoft Office 365 account
- How does **MFA for Microsoft 365 Work**?
- Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication in Microsoft Office 365
- **Why miniOrange MFA over Microsoft Azure MFA**?

### What is Microsoft Office 365 MFA ? {#what-is-microsoft-office-365-mfa}

**Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for office 365** is an authentication method during which users/employees are required to enter two or more sets of credentials to safely login into their accounts. Contrary to using just the username and password, MFA demands additional verification within the sort of (OTP, Phone call, Push Notifications, Authenticator code, Yubikey, etc). Users/ Employees will get access to their Office 365 account and its related data only after passing multi-factor authentication methods prompted during the authentication process. Here you need to convince the Office 365 account and respective system that you are the legitimate user of the Microsoft Office 365 account and have the right to get the info-data services that you’re privileged to. minOrange supports 15+ Multi-Factor Authentication methods to provide security to safely login to Office 365 such as **OTP over SMS, Email, Push notification, Google authenticator, Microsoft authenticator, Yubikey, Authentication Phone, etc**.

### Why do we need Multi-factor Authentication in a Microsoft Office 365 account? {#why-do-we-need-multi-factor-authentication-in-a-microsoft-office-365-account}

Office 365 allows many organizations to make their first venture into the cloud, and it’s here that they have to place in addition to the routine username and password for authentication purposes. Because in today’s fast-paced modern world, relying solely on the username-password authentication system puts them at risk considering the intensity of cyber attackers to breach and obtain sensitive data of a private account. No matter how complex your password is, it just takes one simple phishing email or database breach and your password is out in the World.

Companies also need to ensure that their employees, customers, and partners across the web, who are all in the systems, are monitored continuously. The internal policies,  accessed data (from private or public cloud services), from any device or location about the company’s resources, needs necessary [data security](https://www.cloudcodes.com/blog/enterprise-data-security-sanctioned-unsanctioned-apps.html) measures

Other than that while moving to Office 365, your sensitive documents like budgets, finance, and roadmaps are all exposed, and you now trust the cloud for security. The information, which was securely behind **the corporate firewalls like documents, files, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint, have all moved beyond your control to the cloud**. Though Microsoft Office 365 offers the two-step authentication feature, it’s not enough for organizations with an outsized volume of customer data and when the info is usually on the move to and from the cloud. Then it becomes imperative that the organizations take the service of the providers who would offer data security tools for IAM solutions.

Office 365 MFA helps you to add another needed level of authentication to a routine account login. With this, the users will need to meet at least two or three types of credential checks before they can gain access to the required company data. These all factors sum up the queries on why you need to have an **MFA** as your daily asset to your **Office 365 account**.

### How does MFA for Microsoft Office 365 Work? {#how-does-mfa-for-microsoft-office-365-work}

Microsoft Office 365 MFA – Multi-Factor Authentication works in a way like,  firstly the user attempts to gain access to his Microsoft 365 account, the System asks the user to enter his username-password. On successful authentication of the first factor, the user is prompted for another factor of authentication. This second factor depends on the choices provided by the miniOrange and the option that the user feels is the best for him. This could be an OTP over Email, OTP over SMS, Microsoft Authenticator, or a Hardware Token. Once authenticated with the 2nd factor, the user gains access to his Microsoft 365 account.

![Multifactor Authentication Methods](/blog/assets/2023/multifactor-authentication-methods.webp)

The Office 365 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) process is as follows:

1. The user navigates to the Office 365 login page. 
2. Users enter a dedicated username and password for their Office 365 account. This is often called the primary factor of authentication. When a user submits the login credentials it’s checked whether the user exists within the database.
3. If the login credentials match with the user, the second factor of authentication is shown to the user. E.g Pop up asking for OTP sent over SMS /Email
4. When the user enters the second factor like OTP or Push notification, it’s checked against the database system if the second factor is correct.
5. After successfully completing the second factor, the user is granted access to the Office 365  system.
6. In the same manner, if you’ve got more MFA methods lined up, it’ll invite authentication for all of them and final permission is going to be granted.

When it involves **MFA methods**, miniOrange provides organizations with a wealth of choices. But organizations should realize that there’s no “one-fits-all” approach. Instead, they ought to select the best alternative aligned with their use cases and represent a rock bottom friction experience for users to assure broad adoption.

### Set up Multi-Factor Authentication to your Office 365 account {#set-up-multi-factor-authentication-to-your-office-365-account}

- Create an account and set up branding
- Add your OnPremise AD as a User Store. Enable sync and send attribute ObjectGUID
- Create Office 365  SAML App
- Go to metadata and download and run federate domain script
- MFA for Office 365 will be enabled for your end-users.

To get a detailed Office 365 MFA setup guide **[Click Here](https://www.miniorange.com/two-factor-authentication-(2fa)-for-office-365)** and if you have any doubts regarding setup drop mail idpsupport@xecurify.com

### Why miniOrange MFA over Microsoft Office 365 Azure MFA? {#why-miniOrange-mfa-over-microsoft-office-365-azure-mfa}

When talk is around Office 365 MFA, then Azure MFA directly comes into the frame being an inbound MFA solution. Given below is a comparison between Microsoft Azure MFA and miniOrange MFA services.

| Features                  | Microsoft Azure MFA service           | miniOrange MFA service                                                                                                                             |
|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Authentication methods                     | Azure MFA supports limited MFA methods: OTP over SMS, OTP over phone, Microsoft Authenticator, and Hardware token that too in Enterprise plans. | miniOrange supports 15+ Office 365 MFA methods in the form of OTP over SMS/Email/call, Out of Band SMS/Email, Push Notifications, QR Code, Security Questions, Yubikey hardware along with third-party MFA provider applications like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy etc. |
| MFA for on-premises applications           | Microsoft Office 365 MFA supports only the Cloud Platform.           | miniOrange supports both On-Premise and Cloud platforms extending Office 365 MFA capabilities.                                                 |
| Adaptive Authentication                   | Microsoft Azure MFA has conditional access support in premium plans. MFA is prompted only when required, based on time, location, and device of the user. | Along with Conditional support, miniOrange Microsoft 365 Multi-Factor Authentication also supports a feature that allows setting device limits and keeping track of any unusual activity. |
| Admin control over verification methods     | With Azure MFA services, admin privileges get restricted unless they pay for one of the premium plans for Microsoft Azure MFA. | miniOrange allows admins to change the MFA method for a particular user or a user group. Admin can easily enable/enforce MFA methods according to different users. |
| Remember MFA for trusted devices / IPs     | This function is available in one of the most expensive Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 plans. | miniOrange MFA solution has provision to remember trusted devices/IP’s in a regular integrated plan. |
| User self-enrollment & self-management     | Users can enroll themselves & manage their account                      | Users can enroll themselves & manage their account                                   |
| Offline MFA                               | There is no such provision for Offline MFA                           | Provides full Microsoft MFA security even in Offline mode.                          |
| User Directory Integration                 | In Azure MFA, Azure AD is limited and doesn’t support any other directories | With miniOrange MFA Users can authenticate via any user directory like AD/LDAP, any external database like HRMS system, AWS Cognito, etc. |
| User Provisioning                         | Considering Office 365 basic MFA capabilities, once you enable MFA it automatically gets applied to all users. It is an ‘all or nothing setup. | You can create groups and enable/disable MFA methods accordingly for different sets of groups. Create, Manage, & Delete information about users on multiple systems at once |
| Cost-Effectiveness                        | Most of the Office 365 MFA features discussed above are restricted to the premium plans of Azure MFA where you need to pay highly for different sets of features. | Here there is no such basic-premium plan policy. miniOrange follows an “All-in-one Plan” which includes all of the functionalities at bare minimum cost. |
| Customization Support                      | The Azure Office 365 MFA solution builds on a single solution that is used by overall customers. No such option for customization and pricing adjustments. | With miniOrange you can customize the MFA solution which suits your organization’s needs and requirements. |
| Advanced Blocking                         | Block users through parameters like IP, Country etc                     | With miniOrange you can register IP’s, devices and countries and directly block or deny access to the resources based on users and user groups. |
| Active Support                            | The Microsoft MFA support team mostly operates on weekdays only.     | miniOrange Provide 24*7 dedicated support for every query with quick response.           |

### Conclusion {#conclusion}

Being in a vast high-tech digital world, it’s an important need for organizations to adopt top-notch security for their daily-used official application suite like Microsoft Office 365. Though it becomes difficult for organizations to spend time on advanced security aspects with the regular work module, it’s necessary to adopt the MFA solution considering cyber-attacks and phishing activities going over the Digital world. So opting for a better security-as-a-service provider which gives top-notch security services in a confidential manner, with the simplest technical support at a budgeted price becomes one of the main tasks for the Organizations. Accordingly,  miniOrange MFA services here fit in best considering features, experience in the domain, service, and cost. You can schedule a free demo and trial to ascertain how Office 365 MFA works and how you can implement it in your organization in the best way possible.

### Further Reading {#further-reading}

- [What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)?](https://blog.miniorange.com/what-is-multi-factor-authentication-mfa/)
- [What are different Multi-Factor Authentication methods supported?](https://www.miniorange.com/iam/content-library/admin-docs/configure-mfa-methods-for-admins)

Microsoft Office 365 MFA solution enables users to add an extra level of protection to login into their Office 365 account.

Office 365 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)


### What is Azure Active Directory? {#what-is-azure-active-directory}

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft’s cloud service that provides identity and access management (IAM). It is part of the Office 365 system, it is compatible with an on-premise active directory, and is useful to provide authentication to multiple cloud-based services via various cloud protocols such as SAML, OAuth2, and WS Security. It provides the ability to manage user identities and access rights. Azure AD combines core directory services, access management, and identity protection into a single solution.

Azure AD allows your users to sign in and access the resources which are in external resources such as Office 365 and thousands of other Software as a service (SaaS) applications. It also allows your users to gain access to internal resources such as applications on your company network and intranet. Azure AD uses Representational State Transfer (REST) APIs to connect with other web-based applications. In this directory, the admin has the capability to create groups and add accounts to those groups. Group access to resources can then be assigned to them. Mobile devices and Windows desktops can connect to Azure AD using Microsoft Intune.

### How does Azure Active Directory work? {#how-does-azure-active-directory-work}

The Azure Active Directory Authentication takes place in the following steps:

- The user navigates to the application and requests access.
- An authentication request is sent to the miniOrange Broker Service.
miniOrange Broker identifies the Azure AD and sends authentication requests to Azure AD.
- Azure Active Directory authenticates the user and generates the SAML token, LDAP authentication Response is sent to the broker.
- miniOrange broker posts the SAML response to the Service provider (Application) via the user’s browser.
- The service provider (Application) verifies the SAML response and access is granted to the user.

![Azure Active Directory Authentication Flow](/blog/assets/2023/azure-active-directory-authentication-flow.webp)

### Windows Active Directory vs Azure Active Directory {#windows-active-directory-vs-azure-active-directory}

Windows Active Directory, launched by Microsoft in 2000, is the predecessor to the Azure Active Directory, which has become the standard for enterprise identity management since its launch. Unlike Azure Active Directory, the Windows Active Directory uses Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) to connect with other web-based applications. It also does not manage mobile devices. Group Policies (GPOs) are usually used to govern desktops and servers connected to Windows Active Directory. Finally, Kerberos and NTLM protocols are used to validate user credentials.

Because of the limitations of Windows Active Directory in cloud contexts, Microsoft created Azure Active Directory. Users may use Azure AD to manage all of their cloud apps and servers, including Office 365, SharePoint Online, and Exchange Online.

The key distinction between the two platforms is that Azure AD uses Representational State Transfer (REST) API interfaces to provide web-based applications. As previously indicated, it accomplishes this through the use of unique protocols and code bases. You will instantly become an Azure AD Tenant after you register with one of Microsoft’s cloud apps. This means you can manage all users, permissions, passwords, and more from a single location.

### Benefits of azure active directory {#benefits-of-azure-active-directory}

**Simple Integration:**
Because Azure AD supports a wide range of identity providers, users may log in using their Microsoft, Google, Facebook, or GitHub accounts. Azure AD may also be integrated with a variety of apps, including Salesforce, Office 365, and others.

**Strong Azure AD Security:**
Microsoft, as you might assume, takes security very seriously. Multi-factor authentication, conditional access, and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) are just a few of the security features available in Azure AD.

**High Availability:**
Microsoft promises a 99.9% availability guarantee. Azure AD is highly available thanks to a distributed architecture that spans 28 data centers throughout the globe. All data is written to the Active Primary partition first, then duplicated to the Passive Primary, and finally read from the Secondary Replica partitions.

**Collaboration:**
By granting access to the internal project site or material, Azure AD aids collaboration outside the business, such as with partners. Azure AD B2B (business-to-business) and Azure AD B2C (business-to-consumer) are the two major external collaboration functions. You may invite business colleagues to your application or service using the B2B functionality, and they can sign in using their current Azure identity. The B2C functionality is similar, except your clients may sign in to your app or service using their preferred identity provider (Facebook, Google, GitHub, etc.). MFA and Conditional Access rules can be used to control access to resources in both circumstances.

**Single sign-on:**
This allows onboarding new workers, terminating access for outgoing employees, and implementing access to new cloud services easier and faster, allowing users to get up and running faster. Single sign-on also promotes commitment to security and identification rules.

**Multi-Factor Authentication:**
This adds an extra degree of protection to accounts by requiring another form of verification. Microsoft Authenticator app, OATH Hardware token, OATH Software token, SMS, Voice call, and other MFA verification methods are available in Azure AD.

### Limitations of Azure Active Directory Authentication {#limitations-of-azure-active-directory-authentication}

- **Limited MFA methods**: Azure Active Directory Authentication supports limited Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) methods.
- **No Group policy**:  It has few policy tools like conditional access, but it is more focused on granting access.
- **No support for NTLM or Kerberos**: Azure AD Authentication supports only modern authentication protocols like OAuth, SAML & OpenID Connect.
- **Limited OAuth support**: It does not have support for all OAuth grants.
- No support to extend or customize existing protocols with custom apps.
- Limited support for Device, location, and time-based access policies.

###  Azure Active Directory Authentication Components {#azure-active-directory-authentication-components}

- **Service Provider** - Service providers are responsible for communications between the user, an identity provider that maintains a user directory. In this case, Azure Active Directory is an identity provider and the application could be a Service provider.
- **Identity Provider** - Here Azure AD is an identity provider. So  As an Identity Provider, it authenticates the user and provides an authentication token (that is, information that verifies the authenticity of the user) to the service provider.

Click [here](https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra-id) to learn more about Azure Active Directory.

### Azure Active Directory VS miniOrange IdP {#azure-active-directory-vs-miniorange-idp}

| Features                  | Azure Active Directory                                    | miniOrange IdP                                      |
|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Multi-Protocol support    | Supports only a few modern authentication protocols (OAuth, SAML & OpenID Connect) | Fully supports all protocols for Authentication.  |
| Multi-Factor Authentication | Supports limited Multi-Factor Authentication methods.  | Supports 15+ Multi-Factor Authentication methods.  |
| Pricing Plans             | A fixed annual subscription. (No quote-based pricing plan). | A flexible monthly & quote-based pricing plan for all size organizations. |
| Security                  | Doesn’t support.                                       | It supports fraud prevention, social login, and cloud security. |
| Adaptive Authentication   | Doesn’t support.                                       | It supports Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication.    |


### Further Reading {#further-reading}

- [Directory Services](https://www.miniorange.com/products/directory-services)
- [Single Sign-On SSO](https://blog.miniorange.com/what-is-single-sign-on-sso/)
- [Login Using Azure AD](https://www.miniorange.com/iam/login-with-external-idp/configure-azure-ad-sso)


Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is cloud service that provides IAM & helps administrators handle multiple user logins.

What is AD SSO? A Comprehensive Guide to Active Directory Single Sign-On

Migrating from Microsoft Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Server

Office 365 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

What is Azure Active Directory? | Microsoft Azure AD