Cloud Kerberos Trust for Windows Hello for Business : A Step-by-Step Guide

In today’s world, securing access to corporate devices is more crucial than ever. Windows Hello for Business provides an advanced and user-friendly solution to enhance security through biometrics like facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN-based authentication. In this post, I’ll guide you through setting up and configuring Windows Hello for Business for your organization.

What is Windows Hello for Business?

Windows Hello for Business is a key component of Microsoft’s modern security strategy, replacing traditional passwords with strong, two-factor authentication systems based on user credentials that include biometric data. This means users can authenticate using facial recognition, a fingerprint scan, or a secure PIN — making it harder for hackers to steal or misuse credentials.

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Steps to Configure Windows Hello for Business

Step 1: Prepare Your Environment

Before you can enable Windows Hello for Business, ensure your environment is ready. You’ll need the following:

1. Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) or Hybrid Identity.
2. Group Policy Objects (GPOs) or Mobile Device Management (MDM) for configuration management.
3. Supported devices with biometrics (facial recognition, fingerprint reader) or devices that can support PIN-based authentication.

Step 2: Enable Windows Hello for Business

You can configure Windows Hello for Business policies either through Group Policy (GPO) or Intune, depending on your environment.

Option 1: Group Policy (On-premises)

1. Open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon.
3. Enable Turn on convenience PIN sign-in.
4. Apply additional policies as needed for PIN complexity, facial recognition, or fingerprint authentication.

Option 2: Intune (Cloud-based) (If you don’t have this option)

1. Sign into Microsoft Endpoint Manager Admin Center.
2. Select Devices > Configuration profiles.
3. Create a new profile, and under Profile type, choose Identity protection.
4. Configure policies for PIN, biometrics, and multi-factor authentication.

Option 3: Use Intune (Cloud-based)

If your organization uses Microsoft Intune for device management, you can configure Windows Hello for Business policies directly through it.

1. Create a Settings Catalog Policy in Intune:
   • Navigate to Microsoft Endpoint Manager Admin Center.
   • Go to Devices > Configuration profiles.
   • Create a new Settings catalog policy with the following settings:

Category	Setting Name	Value
Windows Hello for Business	Use Windows Hello For Business	true
Windows Hello for Business	Use Cloud Trust For On Prem Auth	Enabled
Windows Hello for Business	Require Security Device	true

2. Assign the policy to a group that contains the devices or users you want to configure.
3. Enabling Intune Tenant-Wide Policy:
   If you have a tenant-wide policy enabled and pre-configured to meet your organization’s needs, you only need to enable Use Cloud Trust for On-Prem Authentication for seamless operation. Otherwise, both settings above must be configured.

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Option 4: Use Custom Policy with PassportForWork CSP

In cases where you don’t have a pre-configured Intune environment, you can use Custom Policies with the PassportForWork CSP (Configuration Service Provider).

• Settings to configure Windows Hello for Business using CSP:

Setting Name	OMA-URI	Data Type	Value
Use Windows Hello For Business	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/PassportForWork/{TenantId}/Policies/UsePassportForWork	bool	True
Use Cloud Trust For On Prem Auth	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/PassportForWork/{TenantId}/Policies/UseCloudTrustForOnPremAuth	bool	True
Require Security Device	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/PassportForWork/{TenantId}/Policies/RequireSecurityDevice	bool	True

• Replace {TenantId} with your specific Azure AD Tenant ID.
• Deploy these settings via Intune or another MDM solution that supports custom CSP policies.

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Important Note: Group Policy vs. Intune

If you’re using both Group Policy and Intune to deploy Windows Hello for Business configuration:

• Group Policy takes precedence over Intune.
• Intune settings will be ignored if a conflicting Group Policy is applied.

For more detailed information on policy conflicts, review Microsoft documentation on Policy Conflicts from multiple sources.

Step 3: Configure Hybrid Key Trust for Hybrid Environments

If you’re using hybrid identity, you may need to set up Hybrid Key Trust authentication. This allows on-premises users to authenticate with their Entra ID credentials.

1. Install and configure Azure AD Connect for hybrid identity sync.
2. Configure Kerberos trust between your on-premises Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID.

Set Up Kerberos Authentication Server Object:

Use the following script to configure the Kerberos server object and publish it to Microsoft Entra ID:

# Install the required module for managing Azure AD Hybrid Authentication
Install-Module -Name AzureADHybridAuthenticationManagement -AllowClobber

# Define the on-premises Active Directory domain
$domain = $env:USERDNSDOMAIN

# Prompt for credentials of a Global Administrator in Entra ID
$cloudCred = Get-Credential -Message 'Enter credentials for a Global Administrator in Entra ID.'

# Prompt for credentials of a user in the Domain Admins group
$domainCred = Get-Credential -Message 'Enter credentials for a Domain Admin in the specified domain.'

# Remove the Azure AD Kerberos Server configuration for the specified domain
Remove-AzureADKerberosServer -Domain $domain -CloudCredential $cloudCred -DomainCredential $domainCred

# Retrieve and verify that the Azure AD Kerberos Server configuration has been removed
Get-AzureADKerberosServer -Domain $domain -CloudCredential $cloudCred -DomainCredential $domainCred

Step 4: Enable Windows Hello for Business in Entra ID (Azure AD)

1. In the Microsoft Entra Admin Center, navigate to Devices.
2. Under Device settings, toggle Require Windows Hello for Business.
3. Define your policies, including the use of biometrics and PIN, and ensure Conditional Access policies are set up to require Windows Hello for Business.

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Why You Should Implement Windows Hello for Business

1. Stronger Security: Biometric data is stored securely on the device and is never shared or sent to external servers, reducing the risk of credential theft.
2. Better User Experience: Users can log in faster using biometrics like facial recognition or fingerprint, which also minimizes the need to remember complex passwords.
3. Compliance: Many industries require multi-factor authentication to meet security standards, and Windows Hello for Business helps you achieve this easily.

Conclusion

Implementing Windows Hello for Business is a crucial step towards improving the security of your organization’s devices and data. By enabling advanced, passwordless authentication, you not only enhance security but also improve user convenience. Whether you’re using on-premises infrastructure or fully leveraging the cloud, Windows Hello for Business fits seamlessly into modern environments.

Stay tuned for more guides on configuring Microsoft security features and best practices!

Are you ready to enable Windows Hello for Business in your organization? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or need further assistance!