Skip to main content

🛡️ Microsoft Entra ID Account Lockout Threshold is not set to 10 or less🟢⚪

  • Contextual name: 🛡️ Account Lockout Threshold is not set to 10 or less🟢⚪
  • ID: /ce/ca/azure/microsoft-entra-id/account-lockout-threshold
  • Tags:
  • Policy Type: COMPLIANCE_POLICY
  • Policy Categories: SECURITY

Description

Open File

Description

The account lockout threshold determines how many failed login attempts are permitted prior to placing the account in a locked-out state and initiating a variable lockout duration.

Rationale

Account lockout is a method of protecting against brute-force and password spray attacks. Once the lockout threshold has been exceeded, the account enters a locked-out state which prevents all login attempts for a variable duration. The lockout in combination with a reasonable duration reduces the total number of failed login attempts that a malicious actor can execute in a given period of time.

Impact

If account lockout threshold is set too low (less than 3), users may experience frequent lockout events and the resulting security alerts may contribute to alert fatigue.

If account lockout threshold is set too high (more than 10), malicious actors can programmatically execute more password attempts in a given period of time.

Audit

From Azure Portal
  1. From Azure Home select the Portal Menu.
  2. Select Microsoft Entra ID.

... see more

Remediation

Open File

Remediation

From Azure Portal

  1. From Azure Home select the Portal Menu.
  2. Select Microsoft Entra ID.
  3. Under Manage, select Security.
  4. Under Manage, select Authentication methods.
  5. Under Manage, select Password protection.
  6. Set the Lockout threshold to 10 or fewer.
  7. Click Save.

policy.yaml

Open File

Linked Framework Sections

SectionSub SectionsInternal RulesPoliciesFlagsCompliance
💼 CIS Azure v3.0.0 → 💼 2.6 Ensure that account 'Lockout Threshold' is less than or equal to '10' (Manual)1no data
💼 CIS Azure v4.0.0 → 💼 6.6 Ensure that account 'Lockout threshold' is less than or equal to '10' (Manual)1no data
💼 Cloudaware Framework → 💼 Credential Lifecycle Management18no data