Case Study 1 — Windows Hello for Business: Company‑wide Passwordless Adoption

Challenge
Legacy passwords caused frequent helpdesk tickets and phishing risk across 5,000 users; onboarding and remote access were slow.

Solution overview

• Goal: Replace passwords with PIN/biometrics (Face ID) using Windows Hello for Business (WHfB).

• Architecture: Hybrid WHfB with Azure AD + on‑prem AD support, TPM-backed keys on endpoints, and Conditional Access for device compliance.

• Key steps:

  1. Assessment & pilot (6 weeks): device inventory, TPM/UEFI checks, and pilot with 200 users.

  2. Policy design: configure WHfB key trust vs certificate trust based on hybrid needs; define Conditional Access policies and MFA fallback.

  3. Provisioning automation: use Intune for device configuration, Autopilot for new devices, and enrollment scripts for existing endpoints.

  4. User enablement: phased opt‑in, step‑by‑step guides, short videos, and on‑site kiosks for biometric enrollment.

  5. Support model: dedicated “passwordless” helpdesk queue and 24–48 hour SLA for biometric issues.

Outcomes & KPIs

• Helpdesk tickets for authentication dropped 62% within 4 months.

• New‑hire access time reduced from 48 hours to 2 hours.

• Adoption: 88% of corporate devices enrolled in 5 months.
  Risks & mitigations

• Hardware gaps: provided TPM upgrade path and temporary PIN-only policy.

• Privacy concerns: clear communications, opt‑out for sensitive roles, and biometric templates stored only on device.

Publishable takeaway line: Led a 5,000‑user WHfB rollout (hybrid Azure AD) that cut auth tickets 62% and reduced onboarding time by 96% through Intune automation and targeted user enablement.