Microsoft 365 Users Report Authentication Problems: What You Need to Know

Microsoft is currently dealing with an ongoing problem affecting some users’ access to Microsoft 365 features. Reports are flooding in about issues with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and password resets.

According to an incident alert from Microsoft, users might face errors when trying to reset passwords or manage their authentication settings. Even admins are struggling to add necessary sign-in methods for MFA.

This situation follows numerous reports from users that started around April 18th. Many are encountering messages like, “Your organization requires that you register additional authentication methods, but no supported methods are currently enabled for your account.” This leaves them stuck without the ability to authenticate properly.

Microsoft has stated that these issues are linked to a recent update that aimed to enhance MFA functionality. The company is now implementing temporary fixes while working on a more robust solution. They noted that the infrastructure handling authentication requests isn’t functioning as expected, but progress is being made to resolve these issues.

Currently, customers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific (APAC) are especially affected. Users from NHSmail, the secure email service for England’s health sector, have reported seeing messages like “we’re sorry, we ran into a problem” when setting up MFA.

This recent incident isn’t unique; Microsoft has faced similar outages before. For instance, in January, a sudden spike in CPU usage caused another MFA issue, leaving users unable to access important tools. These recurring problems raise questions about Microsoft’s infrastructure and its ability to handle increased demand. According to a recent survey, nearly 70% of IT professionals believe that reliable authentication methods are crucial for organizations today.

In May, Microsoft addressed another service outage affecting Teams and other applications across North America. Consistent troubles with authentication have caused many users to take to social media, sharing their frustrations and seeking fixes, showcasing just how vital these services are in everyday work life.

An update on June 13 confirmed that Microsoft has managed to mitigate the incident, attributing it to underlying database issues. As they work towards a permanent fix, affected users are left hoping for a more reliable experience in the future.

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