Overview
The Activate Self Service Password Reset (SSPR) Manager provides users with a secure, streamlined method to reset their own passwords without administrative assistance. It integrates directly with the organization’s Active Directory (AD) or Entra ID environment, ensuring compliance with corporate password policies and maintaining enterprise-level security.
Overview
Activate’s SSPR Manager enables users to recover or change their passwords through a guided web interface. It supports multi-factor verification and can be accessed both internally and externally via Activate Anywhere, offering full support for remote or hybrid users.
Key Features
Identity Verification
Supports configurable challenge-response questions, SMS or email one-time passcodes (OTP), and integration with corporate MFA solutions.
Policy Enforcement
Automatically aligns password complexity and expiry rules with the organization’s AD or Entra ID policies.
Secure Access Boundary
When accessed externally, all communication routes through Activate Anywhere, ensuring password resets occur over a secure, authenticated channel.
Audit and Logging
All password reset attempts are recorded in the Activate event log for compliance, monitoring, and traceability.
Administrator Control
Administrators can:
- Define and enforce password reset policies.
- Enable or disable the SSPR feature for specific roles.
- Review reset history and audit logs in Activate Studio.
Typical Workflow
- The user navigates to the password reset page on the Activate or Anywhere site.
- The system validates the user’s identity using the configured verification method.
- The user sets a new password that complies with policy requirements.
- The password change is written directly to AD or Entra ID and logged for audit purposes.
Benefits
- Reduces helpdesk workload and response times.
- Provides secure, compliant password recovery for remote and hybrid workforces.
- Enhances user experience while maintaining enterprise-grade security controls.
Security Overview
General Security
- Secret answers are encrypted and stored securely in the Activate SQL database.
- Security questions are configurable and should avoid personal or easily guessable content.
- Options available for configuration:
- Number of questions required for registration or reset.
- Minimum answer length (default: 3 characters).
- User registration status is recorded in Active Directory’s extensionAttribute1.
Example AD Attribute Data stored in extensionAttribute1
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<user>
<password>
<answers set="1" when="2013-08-29T10:52:57" />
</password>
</user>Security Features (Immutable)
- Answers cannot be blank.
- All answers must be unique.
- Case-insensitive matching is enforced.
Do not modify or override these immutable security rules. They are designed to preserve the integrity of the password reset system.
External Password Reset & Credential Provider
- Uses a REST-based web service for communication.
- Transport Security: 256-bit AES encryption for all communication between client and server.
- Logical Security: Each transaction uses a unique session key to prevent spoofing or replay attacks.
- Answers are never transmitted to the client during the process, ensuring sensitive data remains protected.