Face Recognition as an Authentication Method
Imprivata MDA supports face recognition as an authentication method.
Assumptions
The configuration tasks in this topic assume that:
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You already have enabled Imprivata MDA in your enterprise, deployed mobile app profiles, and configured the Mobile Policy and user authentication for mobile devices.
For more information, see Enable Imprivata MDA and Deploy Profiles and Configure the Mobile Policy and User Authentication.
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You have not already configured face recognition as an authentication method for desktop access using Imprivata Enterprise Access Management.
For more information, see the Imprivata Enterprise Access Management online help.
Requirements
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You must sign a Cloud Services Amendment to use face recognition authentication in a production environment.
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The Imprivata Cloud Connect service to your tenant on the Imprivata Cloud Platform must be up and running.
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Users in a policy enabled for face recognition must be synced from Active Directory (AD) to Entra ID.
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The cloud must be synced from AD to Entra ID with Entra Connect.
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Each user in scope for the facial recognition workflow must exist within Entra ID and each user must also be allocated a P1 or higher Microsoft license.
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Internet access is required for facial biometric authentication.
If the device cannot connect with your Imprivata Cloud Platform, an error message will appear during authentication. In this scenario, the user can select another authentication method (password / Imprivata PIN, etc) to complete the authentication.
-
Imprivata Licensing: Face recognition authentication requires an Authentication Management license and a Confirm ID for Remote Access license, in addition to your Imprivata MDA licenses. For more information, see Imprivata Licensed Features.
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Face recognition requires camera permission to be granted on the device.
If you add the AppConfig flag requireCameraPermission, the camera permission is handled along with other permissions upon Imprivata MDA first run.
Imprivata MDA also checks whether the permission is granted before starting camera for face recognition. If the permission is not granted, Imprivata MDA prompts the user to grant it.
Considerations
Consider the following information for this feature:
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Face recognition is not supported with offline mode.
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Biometric data is not stored on the device.
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Supports face masks
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Imprivata MDA face recognition is not supported for the Epic Rover witness authentication workflow in this release.
Before You Begin
Face recognition authentication for Imprivata MDA requires:
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The Imprivata appliances in your Imprivata enterprise must be running Imprivata Enterprise Access Management 25.3 or later.
NOTE:EAM 25.3 will be released in early October 2025.
For more information on upgrading your Imprivata appliances, see the Imprivata Upgrade portal.
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Complete the connection between your Imprivata enterprise and your tenant on the Imprivata Control Center. See Secure Connection to Imprivata Cloud Platform.
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Imprivata MDA 8.0 or later.
Secure Connection to Imprivata Cloud Platform
Configure the secure connection between your Imprivata appliances and the Imprivata Cloud Platform. To confirm whether this connection is complete, on the Imprivata Admin Console, see the Status panel on the right-hand side. Look for a green checkmark icon for Access Management integration.
Imprivata Access Management Setup
Contact Imprivata Services. Services will create a Cloud Tenant for your enterprise, and send a Welcome email with a link to the Imprivata Access Management Setup. Click the link in the email and follow the prompts to complete the secure connection.
Before You Begin
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You need access to your Imprivata Admin Console.
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Optional — a PNG, JPG, or GIF of your organization logo (200 x 100 pixels or smaller, max 100KB).
Imprivata Access Management Setup supports several Imprivata products on the Imprivata Cloud Platform.
Some steps may require information from the Imprivata Admin Console or your identity provider (IdP) console.
Some steps may not be required for configuring Imprivata MDA.
Network Requirements
Ensure that your firewall policy is configured to allow communication between the Imprivata appliances and the production Imprivata Cloud Platform.
Add the following hosts to your firewall allowlist:
-
*.sys.imprivata.com
-
*.app.imprivata.com
For non-US regions, replace the .com
with the appropriate domain suffix for your region, for example, *.sys.imprivata.uk
.

By default, the Imprivata Cloud Connect service is disabled. You must enable the service before configuring the connection to the Imprivata Cloud Platform.
To start the service:
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In the Imprivata Appliance Console, go to System > Operations.
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Locate Imprivata Cloud Connect, and click Stop/restart options.
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Select Restart Imprivata Cloud Connect on all appliances, and click Go.

Using the Imprivata Admin Console, copy your enterprise integration ID. You require this value to use the Imprivata Access Management setup to create an integration token.
To copy your integration ID:
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In the Imprivata Admin Console, click the gear icon > Imprivata Access Management integrations.
NOTE:A status message of Unable to verify integration. Unable to connect to Imprivata Access Management is expected.
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Copy the enterprise integration ID to your clipboard.
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Do not log out. You finish configuring the connection here after using the Imprivata Access Management setup to create the integration token.

Using the Imprivata Access Management setup, enter your enterprise integration ID to create an integration token. This token is required to finish configuring the connection in the Imprivata Admin Console.
To create the integration token:
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Open the Imprivata Access Management setup.
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If you have not already, agree to the Data Processing Addendum and enter information about your organization.
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Go to the Connect to Enterprise Access Management screen, and paste the integration ID into Enterprise integration ID.
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Click Create integration token and copy it.
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Return to the Imprivata Admin Console to finish configuring the connection.

Using the Imprivata Admin Console, finish configuring the connection to the Imprivata Cloud Platform using the integration token you created.
To finish the configuration:
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In the Imprivata Admin Console, click the gear icon > Imprivata Access Management integrations.
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Paste the integration token, and click Integrate.
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Select Administrator console single sign-on using SAML.
This setting is required to enable SSO access to your administrator consoles in the Imprivata Access Management portal.
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To configure the integration with Entra ID as the IdP, continue here: Configure Entra ID as the Identity Provider
-
To configure the integration with a different IdP, continue here: Configure the Identity Provider
Configure Entra ID as the Identity Provider

Using the the Imprivata Access Management setup, copy the Imprivata SP metadata URL. You use this URL to save the metadata as an XML file, which you upload to your Entra app.
To save the metadata URL as an XML file:
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Open the the Imprivata Access Management setup.
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If you have not already, agree to the Data Processing Addendum and enter information about your organization.
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Go to the Identity Provider Connect screen.
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Copy the Imprivata SP metadata URL, paste it into a new browser tab, and save the page as an XML file.
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Do not close the wizard. You finish configuring the connection here after you configure your Entra app.

Using the Microsoft Entra Admin center, configure the Entra ID app to support authentication into the Imprivata Access Management portal.
To configure the Entra app:
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In the Entra app, click Microsoft Entra ID > Manage > Enterprise Applications > New application.
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Click Create your own applications.
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Enter a display name for the application, select Integrate any other application you don't find in the gallery, and then click Create.
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Go to Overview > Assign users and groups, and add the users/groups who require administrative access to the Imprivata Access Management portal.
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Click Set up single sign-on, and select SAML as the single sign-on method.
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Click Upload metadata file and upload the Imprivata SP metadata file you created previously.
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Under Basic SAML Configuration, click Edit, specify
https://access.imprivata.com
for the single sign-on URL, and then click Save and Close.

Using the Microsoft Entra Admin center, copy and save the following Entra app values. You use the following values to finish the configuration in the Imprivata Access Management setup:
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The URL endpoint of federation metadata.
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The SAML name/value pair that identifies users with administrative access.
To locate the required values:
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In the Entra app, go to SAML certificates, and copy the App Federation Metadata URL.
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Under Atttributes & Claims, click Edit.
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If one does not already exist, click Add a group claim.
BEST PRACTICE:Use Group ID as the source attribute.
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Copy the claim name for groups.
Example:
http://schemas.microsoft.com/ws/2008/06/identity/claims/groups
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Locate the group of users that should have adminstrator access and copy the Object ID.
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Return to the Imprivata Access Management setup to finish the configuration.

Using the Imprivata Access Management setup, finish configuring Entra ID as an IdP using the Entra app values saved previously.
To finish the configuration:
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Open the Imprivata Access Management setup, and go to the Identity Provider Connect screen.
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Enter the SAML IdP metadata URL of the Entra app, and click Continue.
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Paste the administrator group's claim name into SAML attribute name.
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Paste the administrator group's Object ID into SAML attribute value, and click Continue.
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Click Go to Access URL: access.imprivata.com to test the authentication workflow to access the Imprivata Access Management portal.
Specifying a metadata URL allows for easier maintenance. The system automatically polls the URL at regular intervals. This ensures that your IdP configuration stays up to date with the latest metadata, such as certificate changes. If you upload a metadata file instead, the system does not update it automatically. From the Imprivata Access Management portal, you must edit the configuration to replace the file manually or switch to a URL.

From the Microsoft Entra admin center, add the trusted Imprivata IP addresses.
To add the IP addresses:
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Go to Microsoft Entra ID > Manage > Security, and select Manage > Named locations.
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Select IP ranges location.
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Enter a name for the new location ("Imprivata Cloud", for example) and select Mark as trusted location.
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Go to the Imprivata Identity Provider Connect screen.
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Add the following IP addresses:
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44.207.16.175/32
-
44.196.189.191/32
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34.195.47.118/32
-
-
Click Save.

If you use "per-user" multifactor authentication, adding the Imprivata Cloud Platform to the "per-user" MFA trusted IPs is required.
To add the IP addresses:
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Go to Microsoft Entra ID Overview > Manage > Users, and select Per-user multifactor authentication.
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Select the Server Settings tab.
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Add the following IP addresses:
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44.207.16.175/32
-
44.196.189.191/32
-
34.195.47.118/32
-
-
Click Save.

Password Hash Sync is required, unless you have enabled Microsoft Entra pass-through authentication.
To enable Password Hash Sync:
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Go to Microsoft Entra ID Overview > Manage > Microsoft Entra Connect.
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Select Connect Sync, and verify that Password Hash Sync is enabled.
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If it is not enabled, configure Password Hash Synchronization in the Microsoft Entra Connect Sync Agent.

Configure Imprivata Enterprise Access Management as a directory. Doing so, provides full user sync capabilities.
Syncing your users requires one of the following:
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Entra ID Global Administrator rights
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Privileged Role Administrator rights
To sync Entra ID users:
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Log into the Imprivata Access Management portal (access.imprivata.com).
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Click the gear icon.
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On the Entra ID users tab, click Add an Entra ID directory now.
The Add Entra ID as a directory window opens.
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Paste your Entra ID Tenant ID, and click Continue to Microsoft Authentication.
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Click specify groups now. Enter groups names to find and add them.
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Click Update now to sync users.

If you are using federated authentication, this step is required.
The Imprivata Cloud Platform must be able to validate user passwords when entered. In a federated environment, Imprivata needs to avoid these calls from being redirected to the federated identity provider (IdP). You must change the home realm discovery policy for authentication from the Imprivata Cloud to your Entra ID tenant only. This only applies to authentication calls made by the Imprivata Access Management Sync.
To create and apply the Home Realm Discovery policy:
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Log in to Microsoft Graph Explorer.
To make it more secure, log in as the Global Administrator.
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Consent to the Microsoft Graph explorer application in your tenant.
For more information, see the Microsoft Graph API documentation.
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Create a home realm discovery policy by making the following HTTP request:
POST - https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/policies/homeRealmDiscoveryPolicies
Request body
In the request body, supply a JSON representation of the homeRealmDiscoveryPolicy object:
Copy{
"displayName": "yourPolicyName",
"definition": [
"{\"HomeRealmDiscoveryPolicy\":
{\"AllowCloudPasswordValidation\":true, } }"
],
"isOrganizationDefault": false
}Response
If successful, this method returns a
201 Created
response code and a new homeRealmDiscoveryPolicy object in the response body.Example Response
Copy{
"@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#policies/homeRealmDiscoveryPolicies",
"value": [
{
"id": "239cbead-1111-654a-9f50-1467d691aaa",
"deletedDateTime": null,
"definition": [
"{\"HomeRealmDiscoveryPolicy\" : { \"AllowCloudPasswordValidation\":true, } }"
],
"displayName": "Exclude Federated Authentication ",
"isOrganizationDefault": false
}
]
} -
Assign the home realm discovery policy to the Imprivata Access Management Sync application by making the following HTTP request:
POST - https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/servicePrincipals/<the Imprivata Access Management Sync application object id>/homeRealmDiscoveryPolicies/$ref
Request body
In the request body, supply the identifier of the homeRealmDiscoveryPolicy object that should be assigned.
Copy{
"@odata.id":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/policies/homeRealmDiscoveryPolicies/<yourHomeRealmDiscovery_PolicyID>"
}Response
If successful, this method returns a
204 No Content
response code. -
Verify that the home realm discovery policy was successfully applied to the service principal by making the following HTTP request:
GET - https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/policies/homeRealmDiscoveryPolicies/<homeRealmDiscoveryPolicy object id>/appliesTo
Response
Copy{
"@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#directoryObjects",
"value": [
{
"@odata.type": "#microsoft.graph.servicePrincipal",
"id": "c1f8e0d4-25b0-46b2-aaa8-827822631a33",
...

You must exclude the Imprivata Access Management Sync app from your MFA conditional access policies for this feature. This requirement is due to a Microsoft blocker.
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In Entra ID, go to Security > Conditional Access, and select a policy that applies to your Imprivata users and requires MFA.
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To exclude your Imprivata app, go to Cloud apps or actions > Cloud apps > Exclude > Select excluded cloud apps, and select the Imprivata Access Management Sync app.
-
Click Save.
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Repeat for all conditional access policies that apply to your Imprivata app and require MFA.
Microsoft-managed policies don't allow you to exclude specific cloud apps. If you have a Microsoft-managed policy that requires MFA, recreate it so you can exclude the Imprivata Access Management Sync app, and then turn off the Microsoft-managed policy.
Configure the Identity Provider
You can choose any SAML IdP to provide authentication (e.g., Okta, Ping ID). In the Cloud Tenant Setup Wizard, on the Identity provider: Connect page, configure the connection between your identity provider and Imprivata Access Management.
To configure your IdP:
-
Open the Imprivata Cloud Tenant Setup wizard.
-
If you have not already, agree to the Data Processing Addendum and enter information about your organization.
-
Go to the Identity Provider Connect screen.
-
Copy the Imprivata SP metadata URL and provide it to your IdP. When configuring the IdP's application:
-
Specify
https://access.imprivata.com
for the single sign-on URL. -
Recommended: configure email address as the NameID format for user identity.
-
Recommended: configure Group ID (rather than group name) as the source attribute for group claims.
-
-
Enter the SAML IdP metadata URL, and click Continue.
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Enter the SAML name/value pair that identifies users with administrative access, and click Continue.
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Click Go to Access URL: access.imprivata.com to test the authentication workflow to access Imprivata Access Management.
Enterprise Access Management User Policy Setup
-
In the Imprivata Admin Console, go to the User policies page > Authentication tab > Desktop Access authentication section.
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Select Face recognition as a primary factor.
-
Select a second factor for Face recognition:
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No second (not recommended)
-
Imprivata PIN
-
Password
-
Proximity Card
-
BEST PRACTICE:
For enhanced protection against sophisticated attacks, pair Face Authentication with a strong second factor like proximity card.
-
-
Select another primary factor.
For example, if users in this policy must use a different authentication method when Face recognition authentication is not available.
-
Specify the grace period for authentication:
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In EAM 25.3 and later, in the Authentication method options section > Face recognition, specify the grace period in the Grace period for second factor after face recognition boxes, up to 24 hours 59 minutes.
-
-
Click Save.