Self-Service Identity

Assisted Password Reset

Secure password reset with colleague approval — no help desk required

Assisted Password Reset lets users reset their password through a self-service portal with approval from a trusted colleague. This peer-verified password reset system eliminates help desk calls while maintaining security. When a user forgets their password, they initiate an Assisted Password Reset request. A designated colleague receives a Mideye+ push notification and approves the reset. The user creates a new password immediately — no help desk call, no IT ticket, no waiting.

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Peer-Verified Identity

Traditional password resets rely on security questions (easily compromised) or IT staff (expensive and slow). Assisted Password Reset uses colleague approval — someone who knows the user and can verify their identity in person or over a video call. It's faster than IT support and more secure than security questions. Configure approvers in the administrator portal.

What Is the Problem with Traditional Password Resets?

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Help Desk Overload

Password resets account for 20-50% of all help desk calls. Each call costs $15-70. Monday mornings and post-vacation periods are especially brutal.

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Lost Productivity

Users wait 30 minutes to several hours for password resets. That's lost work time, frustrated employees, and delayed deadlines.

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Social Engineering Risk

Attackers call help desks pretending to be employees. Security questions ("mother's maiden name") are easily researched on social media.

When Should You Use Assisted Password Reset?

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Remote & Distributed Teams

Remote workers can't walk to the IT desk. Colleagues can verify identity over video call and approve the reset instantly — across time zones. Works with Assisted Login for complete self-service access management.

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After-Hours Support

Night shift workers or weekend emergencies don't have to wait for the help desk to open. Any designated approver can authorize the reset.

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Help Desk Cost Reduction

Eliminate the most common help desk request. Redirect IT resources to higher-value work. Reduce per-user support costs significantly.

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Security-First Organizations

Replace vulnerable security questions with human verification. A colleague who knows the user is harder to fool than a help desk agent.

How Does Assisted Password Reset Work?

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1. Request User visits reset portal
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2. Notify Approver gets push
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3. Approve Colleague verifies identity
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4. Reset User sets new password

Step-by-Step Flow

  1. User navigates to the Password Reset Portal (self-service web page)
  2. User enters their username and requests a password reset
  3. Mideye sends a push notification to designated approvers via Mideye+
  4. An approver receives the notification: "John Smith is requesting a password reset"
  5. The approver verifies the user's identity (in person, video call, or known context)
  6. The approver taps Approve in Mideye+
  7. The user is prompted to enter a new password
  8. Password is updated in Active Directory / LDAP immediately

How Do You Configure Approvers?

Assisted Password Reset uses the same Assisted Login Profile rules that power Assisted Login. This gives you flexible control over who can approve password resets.

👥 By Group Approvers must be members of specific AD groups (e.g., "Password Reset Approvers")
🏢 By Department Only colleagues in the same department can approve (based on AD attributes)
👤 By Manager Only the user's direct manager can approve their password reset
✨ Custom Rules Combine multiple conditions for fine-grained control over approver selection

What Technical Features Are Included?

  • Self-service portal — Dedicated web page for password reset requests. Can be customized with your branding.
  • Mideye+ push approval — Approvers receive instant push notifications. One tap to approve or deny.
  • Session timeout — Reset requests expire after configurable timeout (default: minutes, not hours).
  • reCAPTCHA protection — Optional CAPTCHA to prevent automated abuse of the reset portal.
  • Active Directory integration — Password is updated directly in AD/LDAP. No sync delays.
  • Full audit trail — Logs who requested the reset, who approved it, and when it completed.

How Does This Improve Security and Compliance?

✅ Stronger than Security Questions

Security questions are easily researched. A colleague who knows the user is much harder to impersonate.

✅ Human Verification

Approvers can verify identity through visual recognition, known voice, or questions only the real person would know.

✅ Limited Attack Window

Reset sessions have short timeouts. Approvers are notified immediately. Attackers can't easily exploit a timing gap.

✅ Complete Audit Trail

Every reset request, approval, and completion is logged with timestamps and user identities. Full accountability.

Related: Assisted Login

Assisted Password Reset shares approver configuration with Assisted Login. The same colleagues who can approve access can approve password resets.

Use Assisted Login for sensitive system access control and Assisted Password Reset for identity recovery — both with the same human verification layer.

Learn about Assisted Login →

Reduce Help Desk Costs

Assisted Password Reset is included with Mideye Server 5.6 and later. Contact us to discuss self-service password reset for your organization.

Contact Sales →