Goodbye Legacy Microsoft MFA: Future-Proofing with Modern Authentication

Microsoft’s recently announced that legacy multifactor authentication (MFA) and self-service password reset (SSPR) policies in Microsoft Entra ID will be deprecated on September 30, 2025.

In their place, the unified Authentication Methods policy promises streamlined management and enhanced security. But let’s be honest...maintaining such outdated systems into 2025 feels a bit like clinging to a flip phone in the age of smartphones. While we applaud Microsoft’s step toward modernization, Beyond Identity sees this as an opportunity not just to comply, but to leap forward and protect organizations against today’s advanced threats.

Here’s how practitioners can act now and upgrade from "check-the-box" to future-proofing their identity security.

What to do immediately to avoid disruption

First, practitioners must take immediate steps to assess and migrate their systems to avoid disruptions. Start by auditing your current MFA and SSPR configurations in the Microsoft Entra admin center. Look for users still tied to legacy per-user settings, indicated by statuses like “Enabled” or “Enforced.” These are red flags that you’re not yet on the new Authentication Methods policy.

Next, verify that all required authentication methods are configured in the Authentication Methods blade, ensuring alignment with your security defaults or conditional access policies. Prioritize testing with critical accounts, especially Global Admins, to prevent lockouts after the deadline. Microsoft’s migration wizard is a valuable tool here—use it to move a pilot group of users and validate the process before a full rollout. Acting swiftly ensures compliance and minimizes risks to business continuity.

Beyond auditing, practitioners should focus on enhancing and testing their configurations. Configure SSPR in the new policy to include modern, secure options like Microsoft Authenticator or FIDO2 keys, which offer stronger protection than legacy methods. Integrate these with conditional access policies to enforce MFA consistently across scenarios. Conduct thorough user acceptance testing, particularly for high-risk accounts, to confirm a seamless experience. Document any legacy dependencies to address potential gaps, and communicate clearly with end-users to prepare them for the transition. These quick wins—configuring modern methods, enforcing policies, and testing rigorously—set the stage for a smooth migration while maintaining a strong security posture.

How to future-proof your identity defense

While Microsoft’s conditional policy simplifies management, we implore organizations to go beyond meeting the immediate transition hurdles. In addition to minimizing disruptions, you can be the change agent in your organization that implements preventative defense against advanced threats like accelerated phishing and AI-powered fraud.

Our passwordless, phishing-resistant platform integrates seamlessly with Entra ID, leveraging device-bound passkeys stored in secure enclaves to eliminate shared secrets that attackers exploit. By combining these capabilities with Entra ID’s new policy, organizations can achieve a robust, adaptive identity security framework that evolves with the threat landscape; without large scale infrastructure changes.

Microsoft’s shift to the Authentication Methods policy is a chance to do more than just keep up—it’s an opportunity to build resilience against modern threats. By acting now to migrate and partnering with Beyond Identity, organizations can turn a mandatory update into a strategic advantage. Our platform not only aligns with Microsoft’s vision but goes beyond, offering phishing-resistant authentication and real-time threat detection to stay ahead of attackers. Don’t just meet the September 30, 2025 deadline—use it to transform your identity security. Contact us today for a readiness assessment and start building a future-proof defense against phishing, fraud, and beyond.