Introduction
In today's digital-first world, securing customer identities is a critical means of
maintaining trust and minimizing fraud. With enterprises in the process of migrating to
Azure Active Directory B2C, it is quite essential to get the right security features in
place for a smooth and secure transition of users. Smart Lockout is one such feature
that's integral to Azure AD B2C's security infrastructure.
What is Smart Lockout?
Smart Lockout is a feature that prevents brute force and password spray attacks by
intelligently tracking and locking out malicious attempts to access accounts. Unlike
traditional lockout mechanisms, which can inadvertently block legitimate users, Smart
Lockout uses adaptive algorithms to distinguish between genuine and suspicious sign-ins.
How It Works
Thresholds and Lockout Periods:
Administrators define the number of failed sign-in attempts allowed
before an account is locked. They also set the duration of the
lockout.
Tracking Suspicious Activity:
Smart Lockout maintains separate counters for bad and familiar sign-ins.
This ensures that legitimate users are less likely to be locked out due
to minor errors while attackers are systematically blocked.
Integration with Identity Protection:
When paired with Azure AD Identity Protection, Smart Lockout enhances
its detection capabilities by incorporating user and sign-in risk
assessments into its decisions.
Benefits of Smart Lockout During User
Migration
During user migration to Azure AD B2C, organizations face unique security challenges.
Legacy systems may have vulnerabilities that attackers exploit during the transition.
Smart Lockout mitigates these risks by:
Securing Newly Migrated Users:
As user credentials are transferred to Azure AD B2C, Smart Lockout
prevents brute force attacks on accounts that might otherwise be exposed
during the migration window.
Ensuring Seamless User Experience:
By intelligently distinguishing legitimate users from attackers, Smart
Lockout minimizes disruptions during and after migration.
Enhancing Organizational Trust:
A secure and smooth migration process fosters customer confidence in the
enterprise's digital infrastructure.
Business Outcomes
Azure AD B2C tenants become more resilient to
common attack vectors like password spray and
brute force. This ensures that customer data
remains uncompromised during critical migration
phases.
Nothing erodes trust faster than security breaches.
By implementing Smart Lockout, organizations
demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding
customer identities, enhancing brand loyalty.
Smart Lockout reduces help desk overhead by lowering
the volume of legitimate users locked out due to
minor errors, allowing IT teams to focus on more
strategic priorities.
Key Configuration Decisions
While Smart Lockout is straightforward to enable, configuring it correctly requires
thoughtful consideration of the organization's security and usability requirements. Here
are the key factors to keep in mind:
Threshold Settings
Failed Attempts:
Define the number of failed attempts allowed before lockout. A lower
threshold enhances security but may inconvenience legitimate
users.
Lockout Duration:
Determine how long the account remains locked. A longer duration
provides stronger protection but can delay legitimate access.
User Experience Considerations
Balance Security with Usability:
Organizations must balance strict lockout policies with a seamless user
experience. For instance, thresholds for failed attempts should consider
the likelihood of typos or incorrect password recall by legitimate
users.
Localized Policies:
For global organizations, thresholds might vary by region, depending on
local threat landscapes.
Integration with Identity Protection
When integrated with Identity Protection, Smart Lockout considers user and sign-in risk
levels. This makes it possible to:
Detect anomalous behavior patterns based on location, device, or login
frequency.
Enforce stricter lockout policies for high-risk users or
devices.
Gotchas and Challenges
While Smart Lockout offers robust protection, certain challenges should be considered:
Impact on User Experience
Overly strict configurations may result in legitimate users being locked out. To avoid
this:
Test configurations extensively in a controlled environment before
rolling out to production.
Use telemetry data from Azure Monitor or Application Insights to
identify and fine-tune thresholds.
Increased Administrative Overhead
Although Smart Lockout reduces security risks, misconfigured settings can lead to
increased support requests. Investing in training for IT administrators ensures policies
are optimized from the outset.
Cost Considerations
Smart Lockout is included in Azure AD B2C, but risk-based controls (e.g., Identity
Protection) require Azure AD B2C Premium P1/P2. Evaluate licensing needs based on fraud
risk and security posture.
Smart Lockout in Action: Practical Use
Cases
Case 1: Mitigating Password Spray Attacks
A large enterprise migrating users from a legacy IAM system to Azure AD B2C noticed a
spike in failed login attempts during the migration. Enabling Smart Lockout:
Prevented attackers from gaining access to accounts through repeated
login attempts.
Ensured legitimate users could log in without disruptions, as their
familiar devices and IPs were recognized.
Case 2: Seamless Integration with Identity Protection
A mid-sized e-commerce company used Identity Protection with Smart Lockout to enforce
stricter policies for high-risk users while allowing low-risk users to bypass lockouts
after verification. This reduced friction for most customers while securing vulnerable
accounts.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart
Lockout
Advantages
Enhanced Security: Blocks unauthorized access
attempts effectively.
User-Centric Design: Distinguishes legitimate users
from attackers, reducing unnecessary lockouts.
Scalability: Ideal for organizations of all sizes,
especially during user migration.
Integration Flexibility: Works seamlessly with other
Azure AD B2C security features.
Disadvantages
Complexity in Configuration: Misconfigured thresholds
can lead to user frustration or security gaps.
Dependency on Licensing: Requires specific Azure AD
B2C premium licenses, adding to costs.
Monitoring Overhead: Requires regular monitoring to
adjust settings and maintain effectiveness.
Best Practices for Smart Lockout
Start with Conservative Thresholds: Gradually tighten
policies based on observed behaviors.
Leverage Telemetry Data: Use Azure Monitor to track
failed login patterns and fine-tune configurations.
Combine with Identity Protection: Integrate Smart
Lockout with Identity Protection for enhanced risk-based
security.
Communicate to Users: Proactively educate customers
about account security measures to build trust.
Why Smart Lockout is a Critical Part of
Azure AD B2C Infrastructure
In this context, it is essential that organizations focus on security while
transitioning to Azure AD B2C. As organizations migrate to Azure AD B2C, securing user
identities is a top priority. Smart Lockout plays a key role in protecting against
unauthorized access attempts without disrupting legitimate users. It bridges the gap
between security & usability, ensuring a smooth and secure user experience.
Conclusion
Smart Lockout is not just a security feature alone, it is also a business enabler that
helps organizations in focusing on providing value to the users by mitigating
account-based threats and thereby enhancing customer trust. As you prepare your Azure AD
B2C migration, ensure Smart Lockout is at the core of your security strategy for a safe,
frictionless transition.
