Specops Software secures passwords and user authentication in Microsoft Active Directory environments. Its products are for IT teams that need to stop weak or breached passwords, add multi-factor authentication to Windows and remote access, and cut the number of help desk calls about forgotten or locked passwords.
The company aims to give administrators control over that layer while keeping things simple for the people who have to remember the passwords.
At A Glance
| Vendor | Specops Software, part of Outpost24 |
|---|---|
| Category | Workforce IAM, MFA and password security |
| Identities covered | Human user accounts in Active Directory and Entra ID |
| Deployment | Native Active Directory integration; uReset supports on-premises, hybrid and cloud-only Entra ID |
| Ownership | Acquired by Outpost24 (November 2021) |
| Market classification | Workforce IAM; also MFA & Passwordless |
What Specops Software Does
Passwords remain the weak point of most Active Directory estates, and they also drive a large share of support work: around 40% of IT help desk calls concern password issues. Specops treats this as one account lifecycle rather than separate tools: what happens when a password is set, how existing passwords are checked, how logons are protected, and what happens when a user is locked out and calls for help. Each stage is handled inside the directory the customer already runs, rather than by moving identities to a new platform.
Products
Specops Password Policy
Password Policy builds on Group Policy to make fine-grained password rules easier to manage. Policies can target any GPO level, group, user or computer, with dictionary and passphrase settings that help people choose stronger passwords. Breached password protection blocks more than 4 billion compromised passwords at the moment they are set, in on-premises or hybrid Active Directory, and a continuous scan checks existing passwords against breach data every day. Administrators can also add an unlimited custom dictionary of words specific to their organisation.
Specops Password Auditor
Password Auditor is a read-only tool that scans Active Directory for password related vulnerabilities and reports them, giving teams a starting point before they change policy.
MFA For Windows Logon, RDP And VPN
Three MFA offerings protect the main ways into a Windows estate: the Windows logon itself, Remote Desktop sessions and VPN connections. The client wraps an existing RDP or VPN setup, so it pairs with the MFA solution a customer already uses.
Specops UReset
uReset lets employees reset and unlock their own Active Directory or Entra ID passwords at any hour, from any location, device or browser, in one self-service flow. It is available from a web browser, the Windows logon screen and a mobile app. Remote users can update cached credentials even when they cannot reach a domain controller, and resets can be limited by country or IP address. uReset uses the existing directory for authentication, policy and reporting, and supports more than 20 identity service providers, including Duo and manager verification.
Specops Secure Service Desk
Help desks are a target for attackers posing as employees. Secure Service Desk makes agents verify a caller before high-risk actions such as a password reset, and blocks them from going ahead until verification is complete.
- Reset of Active Directory or Entra ID passwords after verification
- Recovery of BitLocker or Symantec Endpoint Encryption keys after a lockout (not in the Cloud version)
- Verification through mobile or email codes or commercial authentication providers
- Audit logs of every verification event
How It Works
The products integrate natively with Active Directory, and sensitive data stays on-premises. Settings are applied through Group Policy or Cloud Policy, and administrators manage MFA policies in the Specops Authentication Web console. uReset runs as a browser interface, so on-site and remote users reach it the same way, and it works with on-premises, hybrid and cloud-only Entra ID. The breach list behind Password Policy is built from leaked data, malware botnets and a honeypot system that records passwords used in live brute force attacks.
Identities And Systems Covered
| Identity types | Human user accounts and their passwords |
|---|---|
| Directories | Microsoft Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID, including cloud-only Entra ID for uReset |
| Access paths | Windows logon, RDP and VPN |
| Encrypted endpoints | BitLocker and Symantec Endpoint Encryption recovery keys |
Integrations
| Area | Integrations |
|---|---|
| Authentication providers | Duo Security, Okta, Symantec VIP, PingID, YubiKey, RSA hardware tokens (Secure Service Desk) |
| Security monitoring | SIEM, SOC and analytics platforms receive reset events |
Company Background
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden |
|---|---|
| Leadership | Marcus Kaber, CEO |
| Ownership | Acquired by Outpost24 in November 2021 |
| Parent company | Outpost24, a cyber assessment company founded in 2001 |
Note: This overview is compiled from Specops Software’s publicly available information as of 3 November 2026. It is provided for information only. NHI Mgmt Group does not endorse any vendor, and nothing on this page represents the opinions of NHI Mgmt Group.