# The Quick Access app should not be subject to a sign-in frequency Conditional Access control

When Private DNS is hosted on the Quick Access application, the Global Secure Access client's DNS queries authenticate against the Quick Access app and…

Source: https://maester.dev/docs/tests/MT.1195

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<div class="test-byline"><div class="test-byline-avatars"><a class="test-byline-avatar test-byline-avatar--author" href="/contributors/crmhh" title="Christopher Brumm · Original author"><img src="https://github.com/crmhh.png" alt="Christopher Brumm" width="28" height="28" loading="lazy" decoding="async" /></a></div><div class="test-byline-meta"><span class="test-byline-text">Contributed by <a href="/contributors/crmhh">Christopher Brumm</a></span><a class="test-byline-link" href="/contributors">All contributors →</a></div></div>

<p class="test-part">Part of <a href="/docs/tests/maester">Maester</a> · Entra ID · Global Secure Access · <a href="/docs/tests">All checks</a></p>

```powershell title="Run this check"
Invoke-Maester -TestId MT.1195 -IncludePreview
```

## Overview

When Private DNS is hosted on the Quick Access application, the Global Secure Access client's DNS queries authenticate against the Quick Access app and are evaluated by Conditional Access. A **sign-in frequency** session control then re-triggers on those frequent DNS lookups, causing unexpected and repeated authentication prompts. Microsoft recommends not applying a sign-in frequency control to Quick Access.

This is an operational / user-experience hygiene check, not a security gap. The fix is to exclude the Quick Access app from the sign-in frequency policy - the MFA grant and the control for everything else stay in place.

An enabled sign-in frequency policy that targets Quick Access is a **Fail**, unless it falls into a category that does not drive routine DNS prompts, which is surfaced for **Review** instead:

* **Role-only** - scoped only to directory roles (e.g. admins), who typically do not use Private Access.
* **Guest** - scoped to guest / external users, who very rarely use Private Access.
* **Risk-gated** - has a user- or sign-in-risk condition, so the control only applies under elevated risk.
* **Browser** - limited to the `browser` client app type; Private Access / Quick Access traffic is not browser-based.

Reviewed, accepted exceptions can be **allow-listed** by policy id or display name via the `GsaQuickAccessSignInFrequencyAllowedPolicies` global setting in `maester-config.json`; those are reported as **Accepted** and never fail.

#### Remediation action

1. Sign in to the [Microsoft Entra admin center](https://entra.microsoft.com) as at least a **Conditional Access Administrator**.
2. Browse to **Entra ID** > **Conditional Access** > **Policies** and open each **Fail** policy.
3. Under **Target resources**, exclude the **Quick Access** application (do not remove the sign-in frequency control organization-wide).

#### Related links

* [Apply Conditional Access to Private Access apps](https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/global-secure-access/how-to-target-resource-private-access-apps)
* [Conditional Access session controls - sign-in frequency](https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/identity/conditional-access/concept-conditional-access-session#sign-in-frequency)

## Details

<details>
<summary>Every attribute of this check</summary>

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Test ID | MT.1195 |
| Severity | Low |
| Suite | Maester |
| Product | Entra ID |
| Feature | Global Secure Access |
| Area | Authentication |
| Resource type | ConditionalAccessPolicy |
| User impact | Low |
| Implementation cost | Low |
| MITRE ATT&CK | None |
| PowerShell test | [Test-MtGsaQuickAccessNoSignInFrequency](https://github.com/maester365/maester/blob/main/tests/maester/global-secure-access/Test.MT.1195.ps1) |
| Services | Graph |
| Compatible licenses | AAD_PREMIUM |
| Lifecycle | Preview |

</details>

## Source

- Test: [`tests/maester/global-secure-access/Test.MT.1195.ps1`](https://github.com/maester365/maester/blob/main/tests/maester/global-secure-access/Test.MT.1195.ps1)
- Documentation: [`tests/maester/global-secure-access/Test.MT.1195.md`](https://github.com/maester365/maester/blob/main/tests/maester/global-secure-access/Test.MT.1195.md)