Can't login to Admin Portal because of Security Defaults prompt with no Ask Later button

Question

Hi, recently I got an email saying Security Defaults will be turned on automatically on November 23. And there were pop up too time to time when I logged to Admin Portal.

But now pop up has no ASK LATER button, so I could skip this, only "Enable security defaults", so it looks like I must enable security defaults.

But we are not ready for MFA, not all users has mobile phone or proper mobile phone (we have a lot of Huawei phones with no google Play services where Microsoft Authentificator app is not working). And SMS based MFA as far as I know is retiring (after some time asks to register to an app).

Main question: If I will enable Security defaults, can I disable that right away? Or this will be forced forever? And if I will disable after enabling, maybe that pop up message with no Ask Later button will still occur forever?

We use Business Standard licenses with free Azure AD.

And one more thing - my admin account has per user MFA, so if I enable Security Defaults, will be there no problem logging in? (I read you must disable per user MFA BEFORE enabling security defaults, but I cannot do this, because cannot login to Admin Portal).

I always wanted to do MFA per user, bus looks like Security Defaults is a must...

Please, provide me with some info what to do.

Answer 1

Hi,

Yes, you can disable Security defaults right away. Navigate to link below, scroll down and click on Manage security defaults, select Disabled (not recommended), select reason, click Disable.

https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_AAD_IAM/ActiveDirectoryMenuBlade/~/Properties

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if above was useful.

Thanks.

-TP