Unit 1: Introduction

One of the main jobs of an identity platform is to verify, or authenticate, users when they sign in to devices, applications, or services.

In Microsoft Entra ID, authentication is more than just checking a username and password. To improve security and reduce help desk calls, Microsoft Entra authentication includes:

• Self-service password reset (SSPR).
• Multifactor authentication (MFA).
• Hybrid integration to write password changes back to on-premises.
• Hybrid integration to enforce password protection policies on-premises.
• Passwordless authentication.
• Authentication to virtual machines (VMs).

This module explains how to plan, implement, and manage these user authentication features in Microsoft Entra ID.