# yaml-language-server: $schema=../../../../schema/control.schema.json
id: CB-M365-AUTH-042
title: Notify users when their password is reset
finding:
  title: Users are not told when their password is reset through SSPR
  description: An attacker who resets a victim's password can use the account until the victim happens to notice that sign-in fails.
status: active
profiles: [baseline]
risk:
  severity: low
assessment: manual
tags: [sspr, notifications, account-recovery]

description: |
  In the self-service password reset settings, **Notify users on password resets?** is **Yes**. After
  each reset, Microsoft Entra ID sends an email to the user's primary and alternate addresses (or
  the user principal name if none is set).
rationale: |
  The notification is often the first sign of an account takeover through the reset process. A user
  who did not request the reset can report it at once and the account can be recovered before the
  attacker does much.
impact: |
  None known. Messages come from msonlineservicesteam@microsoft.com or
  msonlineservicesteam@microsoftonline.com; make sure they are not filtered as spam.

setting:
  location: Microsoft Entra admin center > Entra ID > Password reset > Notifications > Notify users on password resets?
  default_value: "Yes"
  recommended_value: "Yes"

audit:
  manual: |
    1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center (https://entra.microsoft.com) as at least a
       Global Reader.
    2. Browse to **Entra ID** > **Password reset** > **Notifications**.
    3. Check that **Notify users on password resets?** is **Yes**.
    4. Fail if it is **No**.

remediation:
  manual: |
    1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Policy
       Administrator.
    2. Browse to **Entra ID** > **Password reset** > **Notifications**.
    3. Set **Notify users on password resets?** to **Yes** and **Save**.
    4. Tell users to report any reset notification they did not expect.
  rollback: |
    Set the option to **No**.

references:
  - title: How self-service password reset works - notifications
    url: https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/identity/authentication/concept-sspr-howitworks
    publisher: Microsoft
    kind: vendor-doc
    accessed: 2026-10-24
mappings:
  - framework: cis-m365
    framework_version: "7.0.0"
    id: "5.2.4.4"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: nist-800-53r5
    framework_version: "5.1.1"
    id: IA-5
    relation: related
threats:
  - framework: mitre-attack
    id: T1098
related_controls:
  - id: CB-M365-AUTH-039
    type: requires
  - id: CB-M365-AUTH-043
    type: related

authors:
  - name: Alice
    github: Sn0wAlice
introduced_in: 0.1.0
created: 2026-10-24
updated: 2026-10-24