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Conditional Access: Conditions

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Within a Conditional Access policy, an administrator can make use of signals from conditions like risk, device platform, or location to enhance their policy decisions.

Define a Conditional Access policy and specify conditions

Multiple conditions can be combined to create fine-grained and specific Conditional Access policies.

For example, when accessing a sensitive application an administrator may factor sign-in risk information from Identity Protection and location into their access decision in addition to other controls like multifactor authentication.

Sign-in risk

For customers with access to Identity Protection, sign-in risk can be evaluated as part of a Conditional Access policy. Sign-in risk represents the probability that a given authentication request isn't authorized by the identity owner. More information about sign-in risk can be found in the articles, What is risk and How To: Configure and enable risk policies.

User risk

For customers with access to Identity Protection, user risk can be evaluated as part of a Conditional Access policy. User risk represents the probability that a given identity or account is compromised. More information about user risk can be found in the articles, What is risk and How To: Configure and enable risk policies.

Device platforms

The device platform is characterized by the operating system that runs on a device. Azure AD identifies the platform by using information provided by the device, such as user agent strings. Since user agent strings can be modified, this information is unverified. Device platform should be used in concert with Microsoft Intune device compliance policies or as part of a block statement. The default is to apply to all device platforms.

Azure AD Conditional Access supports the following device platforms:

  • Android
  • iOS
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux

If you block legacy authentication using the Other clients condition, you can also set the device platform condition.

We don't support selecting macOS or Linux device platforms when selecting Require approved client app or Require app protection policy as the only grant controls or when you choose Require all the selected controls.

Important

Microsoft recommends that you have a Conditional Access policy for unsupported device platforms. As an example, if you want to block access to your corporate resources from Chrome OS or any other unsupported clients, you should configure a policy with a Device platforms condition that includes any device and excludes supported device platforms and Grant control set to Block access.

Locations

When configuring location as a condition, organizations can choose to include or exclude locations. These named locations may include the public IPv4 or IPv6 network information, country or region, or even unknown areas that don't map to specific countries or regions. Only IP ranges can be marked as a trusted location.

When including any location, this option includes any IP address on the internet not just configured named locations. When selecting any location, administrators can choose to exclude all trusted or selected locations.

For example, some organizations may choose to not require multifactor authentication when their users are connected to the network in a trusted location such as their physical headquarters. Administrators could create a policy that includes any location but excludes the selected locations for their headquarters networks.

More information about locations can be found in the article, What is the location condition in Azure Active Directory Conditional Access.

Client apps

By default, all newly created Conditional Access policies will apply to all client app types even if the client apps condition isn’t configured.

Note

The behavior of the client apps condition was updated in August 2020. If you have existing Conditional Access policies, they will remain unchanged. However, if you click on an existing policy, the configure toggle has been removed and the client apps the policy applies to are selected.

Important

Sign-ins from legacy authentication clients don’t support MFA and don’t pass device state information to Azure AD, so they will be blocked by Conditional Access grant controls, like requiring MFA or compliant devices. If you have accounts which must use legacy authentication, you must either exclude those accounts from the policy, or configure the policy to only apply to modern authentication clients.

The Configure toggle when set to Yes applies to checked items, when set to No it applies to all client apps, including modern and legacy authentication clients. This toggle doesn’t appear in policies created before August 2020.

  • Modern authentication clients
    • Browser
      • These include web-based applications that use protocols like SAML, WS-Federation, OpenID Connect, or services registered as an OAuth confidential client.
    • Mobile apps and desktop clients
      • This option includes applications like the Office desktop and phone applications.
  • Legacy authentication clients
    • Exchange ActiveSync clients
      • This selection includes all use of the Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) protocol.
      • When policy blocks the use of Exchange ActiveSync the affected user will receive a single quarantine email. This email with provide information on why they’re blocked and include remediation instructions if able.
      • Administrators can apply policy only to supported platforms (such as iOS, Android, and Windows) through the Conditional Access Microsoft Graph API.
    • Other clients
      • This option includes clients that use basic/legacy authentication protocols that don’t support modern authentication.
        • SMTP - Used by POP and IMAP client's to send email messages.
        • Autodiscover - Used by Outlook and EAS clients to find and connect to mailboxes in Exchange Online.
        • Exchange Online PowerShell - Used to connect to Exchange Online with remote PowerShell. If you block Basic authentication for Exchange Online PowerShell, you need to use the Exchange Online PowerShell Module to connect. For instructions, see Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell using multifactor authentication.
        • Exchange Web Services (EWS) - A programming interface that's used by Outlook, Outlook for Mac, and third-party apps.
        • IMAP4 - Used by IMAP email clients.
        • MAPI over HTTP (MAPI/HTTP) - Used by Outlook 2010 and later.
        • Offline Address Book (OAB) - A copy of address list collections that are downloaded and used by Outlook.
        • Outlook Anywhere (RPC over HTTP) - Used by Outlook 2016 and earlier.
        • Outlook Service - Used by the Mail and Calendar app for Windows 10.
        • POP3 - Used by POP email clients.
        • Reporting Web Services - Used to retrieve report data in Exchange Online.

These conditions are commonly used when requiring a managed device, blocking legacy authentication, and blocking web applications but allowing mobile or desktop apps.

Supported browsers

This setting works with all browsers. However, to satisfy a device policy, like a compliant device requirement, the following operating systems and browsers are supported. Operating Systems and browsers that have fallen out of mainstream support aren’t shown on this list:

Operating Systems Browsers
Windows 10 + Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox 91+
Windows Server 2022 Microsoft Edge, Chrome
Windows Server 2019 Microsoft Edge, Chrome
iOS Microsoft Edge, Safari (see the notes)
Android Microsoft Edge, Chrome
macOS Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Safari

These browsers support device authentication, allowing the device to be identified and validated against a policy. The device check fails if the browser is running in private mode or if cookies are disabled.

Note

Edge 85+ requires the user to be signed in to the browser to properly pass device identity. Otherwise, it behaves like Chrome without the accounts extension. This sign-in might not occur automatically in a Hybrid Azure AD Join scenario.

Safari is supported for device-based Conditional Access, but it can not satisfy the Require approved client app or Require app protection policy conditions. A managed browser like Microsoft Edge will satisfy approved client app and app protection policy requirements. On iOS with 3rd party MDM solution only Microsoft Edge browser supports device policy.

Firefox 91+ is supported for device-based Conditional Access, but "Allow Windows single sign-on for Microsoft, work, and school accounts" needs to be enabled.

Why do I see a certificate prompt in the browser

On Windows 7, iOS, Android, and macOS Azure AD identifies the device using a client certificate that is provisioned when the device is registered with Azure AD. When a user first signs in through the browser the user is prompted to select the certificate. The user must select this certificate before using the browser.

Chrome support

For Chrome support in Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703) or later, install the Windows Accounts or Office extensions. These extensions are required when a Conditional Access policy requires device-specific details.

To automatically deploy this extension to Chrome browsers, create the following registry key:

  • Path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist
  • Name 1
  • Type REG_SZ (String)
  • Data ppnbnpeolgkicgegkbkbjmhlideopiji;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

For Chrome support in Windows 8.1 and 7, create the following registry key:

  • Path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\AutoSelectCertificateForUrls
  • Name 1
  • Type REG_SZ (String)
  • Data {"pattern":"https://device.login.microsoftonline.com","filter":{"ISSUER":{"CN":"MS-Organization-Access"}}}

Supported mobile applications and desktop clients

Organizations can select Mobile apps and desktop clients as client app.

This setting has an impact on access attempts made from the following mobile apps and desktop clients:

Client apps Target Service Platform
Dynamics CRM app Dynamics CRM Windows 10, Windows 8.1, iOS, and Android
Mail/Calendar/People app, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013 (with modern authentication) Exchange Online Windows 10
MFA and location policy for apps. Device-based policies aren’t supported. Any My Apps app service Android and iOS
Microsoft Teams Services - this client app controls all services that support Microsoft Teams and all its Client Apps - Windows Desktop, iOS, Android, WP, and web client Microsoft Teams Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, iOS, Android, and macOS
Office 2016 apps, Office 2013 (with modern authentication), OneDrive sync client SharePoint Windows 8.1, Windows 7
Office 2016 apps, Universal Office apps, Office 2013 (with modern authentication), OneDrive sync client SharePoint Online Windows 10
Office 2016 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote only). SharePoint macOS
Office 2019 SharePoint Windows 10, macOS
Office mobile apps SharePoint Android, iOS
Office Yammer app Yammer Windows 10, iOS, Android
Outlook 2019 SharePoint Windows 10, macOS
Outlook 2016 (Office for macOS) Exchange Online macOS
Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013 (with modern authentication), Skype for Business (with modern authentication) Exchange Online Windows 8.1, Windows 7
Outlook mobile app Exchange Online Android, iOS
Power BI app Power BI service Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Android, and iOS
Skype for Business Exchange Online Android, iOS
Visual Studio Team Services app Visual Studio Team Services Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, iOS, and Android

Exchange ActiveSync clients

  • Organizations can only select Exchange ActiveSync clients when assigning policy to users or groups. Selecting All users, All guest and external users, or Directory roles will cause all users to be subject of the policy.
  • When creating a policy assigned to Exchange ActiveSync clients, Exchange Online should be the only cloud application assigned to the policy.
  • Organizations can narrow the scope of this policy to specific platforms using the Device platforms condition.

If the access control assigned to the policy uses Require approved client app, the user is directed to install and use the Outlook mobile client. In the case that Multifactor Authentication, Terms of use, or custom controls are required, affected users are blocked, because basic authentication doesn’t support these controls.

For more information, see the following articles:

Other clients

By selecting Other clients, you can specify a condition that affects apps that use basic authentication with mail protocols like IMAP, MAPI, POP, SMTP, and older Office apps that don't use modern authentication.

Device state (deprecated)

This preview feature has been deprecated. Customers should use the Filter for devices condition in the Conditional Access policy, to satisfy scenarios previously achieved using device state (deprecated) condition.

The device state condition was used to exclude devices that are hybrid Azure AD joined and/or devices marked as compliant with a Microsoft Intune compliance policy from an organization's Conditional Access policies.

For example, All users accessing the Microsoft Azure Management cloud app including All device state excluding Device Hybrid Azure AD joined and Device marked as compliant and for Access controls, Block.

  • This example would create a policy that only allows access to Microsoft Azure Management from devices that are either hybrid Azure AD joined or devices marked as compliant.

The above scenario, can be configured using All users accessing the Microsoft Azure Management cloud app with Filter for devices condition in exclude mode using the following rule device.trustType -eq "ServerAD" -or device.isCompliant -eq True and for Access controls, Block.

  • This example would create a policy that blocks access to Microsoft Azure Management cloud app from unmanaged or non-compliant devices.

Important

Device state and filters for devices cannot be used together in Conditional Access policy. Filters for devices provides more granular targeting including support for targeting device state information through the trustType and isCompliant property.

Filter for devices

There’s a new optional condition in Conditional Access called filter for devices. When configuring filter for devices as a condition, organizations can choose to include or exclude devices based on a filter using a rule expression on device properties. The rule expression for filter for devices can be authored using rule builder or rule syntax. This experience is similar to the one used for dynamic membership rules for groups. For more information, see the article Conditional Access: Filter for devices.

Next steps