Keep getting Microsoft Authenticator prompts

Question

I have password free access on some devices and use the Microsoft Authenticator app to gain access to my email and apps. However I randomly get popups from Microsoft Authenticator asking me to approve access when it is not me signing in. When I check security it is normally foreign hacking attempts that were unsuccessful. I am just concerned that I might accidentally approve one of these hacker sign in approval requests when I'm fat fingering my phone. How are they even getting to the point where a Microsoft Authenticator request is being generated on my cellphone? This just started happening in the last 6 weeks. I've been using the Microsoft Authenticator app for years with no incident.

Answer 1

Hi Shona. I'm Greg, 10 times awarded MVP, here to help you.

As to why it may have begun happening only recently, there has been an increase recently in account hijackings. Since they're obviously not getting through you are doing something right here and I would not change it. If you're worried about giving a response, then I'd just ignore the attempt as it will do the same thing as denying it, right? This will avoid any chance of fat-finger approving it.

As to the question of whether Microsoft Authenticator can be hacked, it seems a lot less likely with these exceptions found:

https://www.hoxhunt.com/blog/how-hackers-bypass...

https://www.yahoo.com/now/most-mobile-authentic...

https://www.transmitsecurity.com/blog/microsoft...

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/oswc...

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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