How to Set Sign-In Frequency for Admins in Microsoft Entra Conditional Access
- Hanna Korotka
- 31 minutes ago
- 2 min read
In today’s cloud-first security landscape, balancing user experience with strong identity protection is critical — especially for administrative accounts. One powerful yet underutilized control in Microsoft Entra Conditional Access is Sign-In Frequency, which helps reduce session persistence and enforce reauthentication for high-risk roles.
🎯 Why Sign-In Frequency for Admins Matters
Administrative accounts are prime targets for attackers. Persistent sessions can become a vulnerability if credentials are compromised. By configuring Sign-In Frequency for Admins, organizations can:
Minimize session hijacking risks
Enforce periodic reauthentication
Align with CIS Microsoft 365 security benchmarks
🔧 How to Configure Sign-In Frequency in Microsoft Entra
Follow these steps to set up a Conditional Access policy that enforces sign-in frequency for admin roles:
Go to Microsoft Entra Admin Center
Select Conditional Access > Policies
Click New policy and configure the following:
Users
Select Users and groups
Check Directory roles
Include at minimum:
Global administrator
Security administrator
Exchange administrator
SharePoint administrator
Conditional Access administrator
Privileged role administrator
Application administrator
Authentication administrator
Billing administrator
Cloud application administrator
Global reader
Helpdesk administrator
Password administrator
Privileged authentication administrator
User administrator
Target Resources
Select All resources
Do not create exclusions
Grant
Select Grant access
Check Require multifactor authentication
Session
Enable Sign-in frequency
Choose Periodic reauthentication
Set to 4 hours for E3 tenants
Set to 24 hours for E5 tenants with PIM
Set Persistent browser session to Never persistent
Enable Policy. Set to Report Only until ready to enforce.
✅ Best Practices & Recommendations
Pair with MFA: Ensure multifactor authentication is enabled for all admin roles
Use Microsoft Authenticator: Protect against MFA fatigue
Limit Global Admins: Keep between 2–4 global admins
Review Sign-In Logs: Monitor reauthentication events for anomalies
📌 Final Thoughts
Setting Sign-In Frequency for Admins is a simple yet powerful way to harden identity security in Microsoft 365. As an MSSP, guiding clients through this configuration not only improves compliance but also builds trust in your proactive security posture.
How We Can Help
As a Microsoft MSSP, we support organizations in securing and optimizing their entire cloud environment. Our services include:
Identity and Access Management: Design and enforce Conditional Access, MFA, PIM, and role-based access controls
Threat Protection: Deploy and manage Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Identity, and Cloud Apps
Compliance and Governance: Align with CIS benchmarks, regulatory frameworks, and Microsoft Purview solutions
Cloud Security Posture Management: Monitor and remediate misconfigurations across Microsoft 365 and Azure
Operational Support: Provide ongoing monitoring, incident response, and policy tuning
Whether you're building a secure foundation or advancing your cloud maturity, we deliver expert guidance and hands-on support to help you stay protected, compliant, and resilient.