Are conditional access policies evaluated before a user is authenticated?

Conditional access policies are indeed evaluated after a user has been authenticated. The purpose of these policies is to provide an additional layer of security by determining whether a user can access a specific resource based on conditions such as user location, device compliance, risk level, and more.

Once a user attempts to access a resource, they go through the authentication process. After successful authentication, the conditional access policies are then evaluated to determine if the access can proceed or if additional measures, such as multifactor authentication or restrictions, should be applied. This sequence ensures that only users who meet the necessary conditions can access certain resources, thereby securing access based on predefined security requirements.

By placing the evaluation after authentication, organizations can implement more stringent access controls tailored to their security posture while ensuring that users can successfully authenticate in the first place. This design reflects a balance between user experience and security.