Security News > 2022 > September > Microsoft announces passwordless auth, SSO for Azure Virtual Desktop
Microsoft has announced this week that Azure Virtual Desktop support for passwordless authentication has now entered public preview.
"Today we're announcing the public preview for enabling an Azure AD-based single sign-on experience and support for passwordless authentication, using Windows Hello and security devices," said David Bélanger, a Senior Program Manager for Azure Virtual Desktop at Microsoft.
As an added condition, Azure AD passwordless auth and SSO will only be available after deploying the September Cumulative Update Preview.
Azure Virtual Desktop is an app virtualization service and a cloud-based desktop that allows using Windows desktops over the Internet via a Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, or HTML5-based Azure Virtual Desktop client.
Microsoft announced the cloud-based desktop virtualization service as 'Windows Virtual Desktop' four years ago, in September 2018, and made it generally available worldwide one year later, following a public preview testing phase in March.
In June 2021, Microsoft rebranded the platform to Azure Virtual Desktop and added new security capabilities and pricing options for remote app streaming.