Choose an identity management and authentication method

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a powerful cloud-based virtual desktop infrastructure that allows organizations to provide their users with secure access to applications and data from anywhere, on any device. To ensure the integrity and security of AVD deployments, it is crucial to implement robust identity management and authentication methods. In this article, we will explore various options for identity management and authentication in the context of configuring and operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

1. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service. It provides a comprehensive set of features for managing user identities, enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA), and integrating with various authentication providers. Azure AD seamlessly integrates with AVD, allowing you to authenticate and authorize users accessing virtual desktops and applications.

To enable Azure AD authentication for AVD, you need to configure the following steps:

• Create an Azure AD tenant or leverage an existing one.
• Connect your virtual desktop environment to Azure AD by configuring Azure AD Domain Services or Azure AD Connect.
• Configure user assignments and access policies using Azure AD Conditional Access policies.

Here’s an example of how to configure Azure AD authentication for AVD in the ARM template:

{
“type”: “Microsoft.desktopVirtualization/workspaces”,
“apiVersion”: “2021-07-12-preview”,
“name”: “[parameters(‘workspaceName’)]”,
“location”: “[parameters(‘location’)]”,
“properties”: {
“friendlyName”: “[parameters(‘friendlyName’)]”,
“applicationGroupReferences”: [
{
“type”: “Microsoft.desktopVirtualization/applicationGroups”,
“name”: “[parameters(‘applicationGroupName’)]”,
“properties”: {
“userAssignmentConfiguration”: {
“userGroupReferences”: [
{
“type”: “Microsoft.DirectoryServices/userGroups”,
“name”: “[parameters(‘aadGroupName’)]”
}
]
}
}
}
],
“workspaceApplicationReferences”: []
},
“dependsOn”: [
“[resourceId(‘Microsoft.desktopVirtualization/hostpools’, parameters(‘hostPoolName’))]”,
“[resourceId(‘Microsoft.DirectoryServices/userGroups’, parameters(‘aadGroupName’))]”,
“[resourceId(‘Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/roleAssignments’, parameters(‘hostPoolName’))]”
]
}

2. Azure AD Domain Services (AAD DS)

Azure AD Domain Services (AAD DS) enables you to join AVD virtual machines to a managed domain without the need for deploying domain controllers. It provides a fully compatible Windows Server Active Directory environment, enabling traditional domain-based authentication and user/group management.

To implement Azure AD Domain Services with AVD, follow these steps:

• Create an Azure AD Domain Services instance and configure the necessary network settings.
• Join the AVD virtual machines to the managed domain using the Seamless Domain Join feature.

Remember to check Azure documentation for detailed instructions on setting up and configuring Azure AD Domain Services.

3. Azure AD Application Proxy

Azure AD Application Proxy allows you to securely publish on-premises web applications for remote access. By leveraging Application Proxy with AVD, you can provide seamless access to on-premises applications hosted behind your organization’s firewall.

To configure Azure AD Application Proxy for AVD, perform the following steps:

• Install and configure the Application Proxy Connector on a server that has access to AVD resources.
• Register the AVD resources with Azure AD Application Proxy.
• Enable secure remote access to AVD resources through pre-authentication and authorization policies.

4. Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enhances the security of AVD by requiring users to provide additional verification in addition to their password. It can be configured to use various authentication methods, including phone calls, text messages, mobile app notifications, or hardware tokens. Enforcing MFA adds an extra layer of protection to prevent unauthorized access.

To enable MFA for AVD, follow these steps:

• Enable MFA for user accounts in Azure AD.
• Configure the MFA settings to define which authentication methods are available for users.
• Apply Azure AD Conditional Access policies to enforce MFA for AVD access.

Implementing identity management and authentication methods in AVD is vital to protect sensitive data and ensure secure access for users. By leveraging Azure AD, Azure AD Domain Services, Azure AD Application Proxy, and Azure MFA, organizations can enhance the overall security posture of their AVD deployments.