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Interview question · Identity, OAuth & Access Control

What is device code phishing, why does it beat ordinary MFA and URL checks, and how do you shut it down in Entra ID or Google Workspace?

The victim types a code on the real Microsoft sign-in page, passes MFA, and hands the attacker their tokens. The scored answer explains why nothing looks wrong and which policy actually stops it.

mediumNewPreparation tags: Microsoft, Google, SalesforceUpdated Nov 2026

The victim types a code on the real Microsoft sign-in page, passes MFA, and hands the attacker their tokens. The scored answer explains why nothing looks wrong and which policy actually stops it.

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What would you say before reading the answer?

  1. 01 State the assumptions your answer depends on.
  2. 02 Explain the mechanism and choose a control.
  3. 03 Name a condition that would change your decision.

The worked answer includes an approach, scoring criteria and follow-up questions. Compare the reasoning with your own.

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What if · the follow-ups in this answer

The answer works through 4 follow-ups like an interviewer would

A finance director receives a Teams message from a 'conference organiser' with a link to microsoft.com/devicelogin and a code to 'join tomorrow's briefing'. They enter it and approve with their authenticator. An hour later, their mailbox sends payment requests to colleagues.

  1. What happened, and why did MFA not help?
  2. What do you do in the first hour?
  3. What stops it happening again?
  4. How do you summarise device code phishing?

Each rung has a nudge, a model answer, the principle that carries over and the weak answer to avoid. Premium opens every answer and ladder.

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