Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)'s Operator Assistance is retiring on September 30th 2023

[azure-deprecation-automation]

Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)'s Operator Assistance is retiring on September 30th 2023

Deadline: Sep 30, 2023
Impacted Services:

• Azure Active Directory

More information:

• https://azure.microsoft.com/updates/azure-multifactor-authentication-operator-assistance-will-be-retired-on-30-september-2023/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-authentication-operator-assistance

Notice

Once disabled, Azure AD will automatically dial the appropriate user extension upon call connection.

New Azure AD tenants created after 1 March 2022 will not have access to the Operator Assistance feature.

Here's the official report from Microsoft:

On 30 September 2023, we will retire Operator Assistance in Azure multifactor authentication and it will no longer be available. Before that date, please start using the automated attendant functionality within your phone system, which provides a frictionless and more secure connection experience.

Currently, when a multifactor authentication phone call is initiated and an operator answers, the operator is asked to transfer the phone call to the extension belonging to the end-user needing to perform multifactor authentication. This approach delays call connection and can result in incomplete multifactor authentication attempts.

When Operator Assistance retires on 30 September 2023, this feature will be disabled for all Azure AD tenants. Azure AD will automatically dial the appropriate user extension upon call connection. New Azure AD tenants created after 1 March 2022 will not have access to the Operator Assistance feature.

Timeline

Phase	Date	Description
Disabled for new AD tenants	Mar 01, 2022	New AD tenants will not be able to use Operator Assistance
Announcement	Mar 24, 2022	Deprecation was announced
Deprecation	Sep 30, 2023	Operator Assistance will no longer be available

Impact

Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)'s Operator Assistance is retiring on September 30th 2023 and Azure AD will automatically dial the appropriate user extension upon call connection.

Required Action

A guide to disable the feature is available here.

Here's the official report from Microsoft:

To avoid service disruption, follow the steps to disable Operator Assistance before 30 September 2023.

Contact

You can get in touch through the following options:

• Get answers from Microsoft Q&A (link).
• Contact Azure support (link).

[azure-deprecation-automation]

This issue is automatically managed and suggest to use GitHub Discussions to discuss this deprecation.