Improve Okta security with these 6 critical configuration settings

With over 18,000 customers, Okta serves as the cornerstone of identity governance and security for organizations worldwide. However, this prominence has made it a prime target for cybercriminals who seek access to valuable corporate identities, applications, and sensitive data. Recently, Okta warned its customers of an increase in phishing social engineering attempts impersonating Okta support personnel.

‍

Given Okta's role as a critical part of identity infrastructure, strengthening Okta security is essential. This article covers six key Okta security settings that provide a strong starting point, and how continuous monitoring of your Okta security posture can alert you of configuration drift and new risks.

‍

With that, let's dive in to the six essential Okta security configurations that every security practitioner should monitor:

‍

1. Password policies

Strong password policies are foundational to any identity security posture program. Okta allows administrators to enforce robust password requirements including:

• Minimum length and complexity requirements
• Password history and age restrictions
• Common password checks to prevent easily guessable passwords

‍

To configure password requirements in Okta: Navigate to Security > Authentication > Password Settings in the Okta Admin Console.

‍

2. Phishing-resistant 2FA enforcement

With phishing attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, implementing phishing-resistant two-factor authentication on Okta accounts is crucial, especially for privileged admin accounts. Okta supports various strong authentication methods including:

• WebAuthn/FIDO2 security keys
• Biometric authentication
• Okta Verify with device trust

‍

To configure MFA factors: Go to Security > Multifactor > Factor Enrollment > Edit > Set factor to required, optional, or disabled.

‍

Also, to enforce MFA for all admin console users, refer to this Okta help doc.

‍

3. Okta ThreatInsight

Okta ThreatInsight leverages machine learning to detect and block suspicious authentication attempts. This feature:

• Identifies and blocks malicious IP addresses
• Prevents credential stuffing attacks
• Reduces the risk of account takeovers

‍

To configure: Enable ThreatInsight under Security > General > Okta ThreatInsight settings. For more, refer to this Okta help doc.

‍

4. Admin session ASN binding

This security feature helps prevent session hijacking by binding administrative sessions to specific Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs). When enabled:

• Admin sessions are tied to the original ASN used during authentication
• Session attempts from different ASNs are blocked
• Risk of unauthorized admin access is significantly reduced

‍

To configure: Access Security > General > Admin Session Settings and enable ASN Binding.

‍

5. Session Lifetime Settings

Properly configured session lifetimes help minimize the risk of unauthorized access through abandoned or hijacked sessions. Consider implementing:

• Short session timeouts for highly privileged accounts
• Maximum session lengths based on risk level
• Automatic session termination after periods of inactivity

‍

To configure: Navigate to Security > Authentication > Session Settings to adjust session lifetime parameters.

‍

6. Behavior rules

Okta behavior rules provide an extra layer of security by:

• Detecting anomalous user behavior patterns
• Triggering additional authentication steps when suspicious activity is detected
• Allowing customized responses to potential security threats

‍

To configure: Access Security > Behavior Detection Rules to set up and customize behavior-based security policies.

‍

How SSPM (SaaS Security Posture Management) can help

Okta offers HealthInsight which provides security monitoring and posture recommendations to help customers maintain strong Okta security. But, maintaining optimal security across your entire SaaS infrastructure—including Okta—becomes increasingly complex as your organization grows. This is where SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) solutions provide significant value:

• Continuous centralized monitoring of security configurations for critical SaaS apps like Okta to detect misalignments and drift away from security best practices
• Automated assessment of user privileges and access patterns to identify potential security risks
• Detection of app-to-app integrations like marketplace apps, API keys, service accounts, OAuth grants, and other non-human identities with access to critical SaaS apps and data
• Real-time alerts for security configuration changes that could impact your organization's security posture
• Streamlined compliance reporting and documentation of security controls

‍

Nudge Security offers Okta security posture management as part of a comprehensive SaaS security and governance solution and automatically detects common Okta security misconfigurations such as:

• Weak password policies that don't meet industry standards
• Disabled or improperly configured multi-factor authentication settings
• Excessive administrative privileges or unused admin accounts
• Misconfigured session timeout settings that could leave accounts vulnerable

‍

This demo walks through how Nudge Security can help secure your Okta environment:

‍

‍

With Nudge Security, organizations can maintain continuous visibility into their Okta security posture as well as other critical SaaS infrastructure and quickly remediate any issues that arise. This proactive approach to security helps prevent potential breaches and ensures that security configuration best practices are maintained over time.

‍

Learn more about how Nudge Security can help you improve Okta security.