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Use Case: Using Security Question for Password Resetting

Situation:

User forgets the password. How to reset the password with an answer to a security question? How this answer is defined?

Solution:

User defines an answer to a security question when he fills out a special field. Information from this field will be verified and if the answer is correct, password will be reset.

How to implement:

Two web [arts are installed on a SharePoint site – Virto SharePoint Active Directory Self Serviceand

Virto SharePoint Password Reset Web Part.#

The first web part allows user to set an answer to a security question (value of the special field), the second web part enables to reset the password when user forgets it.

The following actions must be done:

  1. Virto SharePoint Active Directory Self User Service installing.
  2. Adding special field which will contain answer to a security question.
  3. Virto SharePoint Password Reset Web Part installing.
  4. Selecting field (created in 3) in the SharePoint Password Reset Web Part settings for security question answer.

Detailed Instruction:

For SharePoint site administrator

Install Virto SharePoint Active Directory User Service. Then go to “Site Actions – Site Settings”.

Opening Site Actions then Site Settings on the SharePoint site

Follow the link “Virto Active Directory Service Settings”.

Click “Manage Fields” and use “Add Field” to add new field to the list.

Manage Fields page with the Add Field option in the Virto Active Directory Service Settings

Add Field button for creating a new field in the Virto Active Directory Service Settings

Enter required data and pay attention to the field “AD Name” (corresponding field from Active

Directory).

New field form with the AD Name mapping to the corresponding Active Directory attribute

Click “OK”.

New security question field added to the list in the Virto Active Directory Service Settings

The field will appear in the SharePoint Active Directory Self User Service Web Part.

Security question field shown in the SharePoint Active Directory Self User Service web part

Go to the site where Virto SharePoint Password Reset Web Partis installed. Use “Edit Web Part”.

Adjust web part for security question (see User Guide). Define the field (created with the SharePoint Active Directory User Service) as a field with an answer to security question.

Editing the Virto SharePoint Password Reset web part settings to assign the security question field

Selecting the security question answer field in the Virto Password Reset web part settings

Click “OK”.

For user

Go to SharePoint site where the SharePoint Active Directory User Service is installed. Fill out the field

“Secure Answer (Pet’s Name)”. Click “Save”.

User filling out the Secure Answer field with a pet’s name in the Self Service web part

If user forgets his password.

Go to the site with anonymous access (contact your administrator).

Anonymous-access password reset page where the user answers the security question

Enter answer to the security question. Click “Submit”. If the answer is incorrect, a message will appear.

Error message shown when an incorrect security question answer is submitted during password reset

When the answer is correct, password will be displayed and sent by e-mail.

Reset password displayed after a correct security question answer, also sent by email

Updated on June 17, 2026