{"id":11111,"date":"2016-07-07T12:07:51","date_gmt":"2016-07-07T19:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/?p=11111"},"modified":"2023-06-16T16:00:29","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T23:00:29","slug":"enabling-remote-access-with-windows-hello-for-business-in-windows-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/enabling-remote-access-with-windows-hello-for-business-in-windows-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Enabling remote access with Windows Hello for Business in Windows 10"},"content":{"rendered":"
This content has been archived, and while it was correct at time of publication, it may no longer be accurate or reflect the current situation at Microsoft.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
During the internal deployment of Windows 10 November update, Microsoft Digital implemented a new credential, Windows Hello, for strong authentication. We were able to easily incorporate the new credential for use within our existing VPN infrastructure, creating a streamlined sign-in experience for remote access among Windows 10 users.<\/p>\n
With the Windows 10 November update, Microsoft IT enabled Windows Hello as an enterprise credential for our users. Our security policies already enforced secure remote sign in using multi-factor authentication, with smart card or phone verification as the second factor, to connect to corporate resources using VPN (virtual private network).<\/p>\n
On any given weekday at Microsoft, there are roughly 35,000 to 45,000 users connected to the corporate network using VPN. There are 25,000 to 35,000 users connected on the weekends and during non-peak hours. We needed to easily incorporate Windows Hello for Business and enable:<\/p>\n
Windows Hello for Business is a private\/public key or certificate-based authentication approach for organizations and consumers that goes beyond passwords. This form of authentication relies on key pair credentials that can replace passwords and are resistant to breaches, thefts, and phishing. With Windows Hello, biometric authentication and recognition is easy with a face or fingerprint. PCs with fingerprint readers are ready to use Windows Hello now, and more devices that can recognize faces are coming soon.<\/p>\n
Microsoft IT integrated Windows Hello for Business with our existing VPN infrastructure and enabled secure remote access with certificate-backed credentials. In addition, Windows Hello provides a unified VPN connection experience for all modern devices, with fewer user touch points. It also sets the foundation for ongoing enforcement of corporate policies and enables AutoConnect for VPN.<\/p>\n
For more information about how we enabled Windows Hello for Business as a credential, read\u00a0Implementing strong user authentication with Windows Hello for Business<\/a><\/p>\n We have a single VPN solution in place for use with all of the supported client operating systems in our environment. We support several strong authentication methods specific to the operating system that is being used. Our preferred credential is backed by certificate-based authentication (public key infrastructure, or PKI) and multi-factor authentication solutions.<\/p>\n Windows 10 users that have installed the Windows 10 November update can use VPN with Windows Hello for Business. Windows Hello credentials address many of the inherent problems with passwords. Passwords can be difficult to remember, can be reused on multiple sites, and can sometimes be easy to guess. Server breaches can expose symmetric network credentials, or users can inadvertently divulge their passwords to phishing attacks. Because PINs are tied to the device and are stored locally, they are more secure than a password. The PIN is backed by a Trusted Platform Module chip, a requirement in our environment, and includes multiple physical security mechanisms to make it tamper resistant.<\/p>\n Windows 10 users that have installed the November update and have not set up Windows Hello for Business, or that are running an earlier version of Windows 10 can use VPN with multi-factor authentication with phone verification.<\/p>\n Multi-factor authentication with phone verification as a second form of strong authentication helped expand the types of devices that can access the corporate network through VPN. While cloud-based services can be accessed any time and from any device using federated identities and multi-factor authentication, VPN at Microsoft was limited to mostly domain-joined machines, which we manage using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. Before multi-factor authentication with phone verification and software-based certificates, VPN was cumbersome for users on non-domain joined machines. We can install the same policies that we use in Configuration Manager to provide client certificates to non-domain-joined devices that are managed through Microsoft Intune. Also note that multi-factor authentication with phone verification requires users to either join a Microsoft domain or enroll in Microsoft Intune to enable device management.<\/p>\n Users that are running Windows 8.1, Windows 8, or Windows 7 and have installed the Microsoft IT VPN client can authenticate with a physical or virtual smart card or register and configure VPN to use multi-factor authentication with phone verification when connecting. We are still enforcing the Network Access Protection system health check and quarantine for these client machines.<\/p>\n On Windows Phone 8\/8.1 and Windows Mobile 10, VPN profiles are deployed via Microsoft Intune. The VPN profiles are set to connect automatically using the Always On functionality and are configured to route only corporate data through the tunnel (using split tunneling). In Windows 10 Mobile, there is greater flexibility for secure authentication with new features such as Windows Hello for Business, and additional security features such as Conditional Access and Enterprise Data Protection.<\/p>\n The Microsoft IT VPN client, based on Connection Manager is required on all devices to connect using remote access. It is included as part of the corporate operating system deployment image, or is available for our users to download from the Microsoft IT remote access SharePoint portal. This allows a single client to be available for all devices and machines, which can connect remotely and access corporate resources.<\/p>\n We use Configuration Manager to manage all of our domain-joined computers, and Microsoft Intune provides enterprise mobility management support for non-domain-joined computers and mobile devices that have enrolled in the service. In our hybrid configuration, VPN policies, including certificate issuance that we create in Configuration Manager for Windows 10 devices, are loaded into Microsoft Intune and applied to enrolled devices.<\/p>\n For more information about how we use Microsoft Intune as part of our mobile device management strategy, read\u00a0Mobile device management at Microsoft<\/a>.<\/p>\n The infrastructure for providing remote access to all of the supported operating systems at Microsoft is shared, with the exception of a few key pieces that were included to issue certificates and manage the non-domain-joined systems. We chose to make our certificates for Windows Hello for Business work the same as our smart card certificates so that we would have a seamless integration with our existing, geographically distributed Windows Server infrastructure.<\/p>\n This illustration shows our remote access infrastructure.<\/p>\nSupported authentication methods<\/h3>\n
Windows 10 November update with Windows Hello for Business<\/h4>\n
Windows 10 with multi-factor authentication<\/h4>\n
Remote access for earlier versions of Windows<\/h4>\n
Windows Mobile<\/h4>\n
VPN client connection manager application<\/h3>\n
Securely accessing corporate on managed devices<\/h3>\n
Remote access infrastructure<\/h3>\n
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