Resetting Genesys Cloud User Passwords and Enforcing MFA Settings Programmatically

What You Will Build

• This script authenticates to Genesys Cloud, locates a user by email, patches their credentials to force a password reset, and enforces multi-factor authentication settings via the SCIM 2.0 API.
• The implementation uses the Genesys Cloud SCIM 2.0 User endpoint and a custom Python wrapper built on the httpx library.
• The tutorial covers Python 3.9+ with type hints, structured audit logging, and production-ready retry logic.

Prerequisites

• OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials grant with scopes scim:users:read and scim:users:write
• Genesys Cloud API v2 (SCIM 2.0 subset)
• Python 3.9 or higher
• External dependencies: httpx>=0.24.0, python-dotenv>=1.0.0

Authentication Setup

Genesys Cloud requires an OAuth 2.0 Bearer token for every API request. The Client Credentials grant is the standard method for service-to-service integrations. The token endpoint is https://api.mypurecloud.com/oauth/token. You must cache the token and check its expiration before making subsequent calls to avoid unnecessary network overhead.

The following code demonstrates a secure token acquisition pattern. It validates the response status, extracts the access token, and calculates the exact expiration timestamp.

import httpx
import logging
from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
from typing import Optional
import os

# Configure structured audit logger
logging.basicConfig(
    level=logging.INFO,
    format="%(asctime)s | %(levelname)s | %(message)s",
    handlers=[logging.FileHandler("genesys_scim_audit.log"), logging.StreamHandler()]
)
logger = logging.getLogger("GenesysScimClient")

class GenesysScimClient:
    def __init__(self, client_id: str, client_secret: str, org_domain: str = "mypurecloud.com"):
        self.client_id = client_id
        self.client_secret = client_secret
        self.base_url = f"https://api.{org_domain}/api/v2/scim/v2"
        self.token_url = f"https://api.{org_domain}/oauth/token"
        self.http = httpx.Client(timeout=httpx.Timeout(30.0), follow_redirects=True)
        self._access_token: Optional[str] = None
        self._token_expiry: Optional[datetime] = None

    def _ensure_token(self) -> str:
        if self._access_token and self._token_expiry and datetime.now(timezone.utc) < self._token_expiry:
            return self._access_token

        logger.info("Requesting new OAuth token")
        payload = {
            "grant_type": "client_credentials",
            "client_id": self.client_id,
            "client_secret": self.client_secret,
            "scope": "scim:users:read scim:users:write"
        }
        response = self.http.post(self.token_url, data=payload)
        response.raise_for_status()
        token_data = response.json()
        
        self._access_token = token_data["access_token"]
        expires_in = token_data.get("expires_in", 3600)
        self._token_expiry = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(seconds=expires_in)
        
        logger.info("OAuth token refreshed successfully")
        return self._access_token

The _ensure_token method checks the cached token against the current UTC time. If the token is valid, it returns immediately. If expired or missing, it posts to the OAuth endpoint with the required scopes. The response.raise_for_status() call automatically raises an httpx.HTTPStatusError for 4xx or 5xx responses, which you must catch at the call site.

Implementation

Step 1: Locate User by Email with SCIM Filtering and Pagination

Genesys Cloud SCIM 2.0 supports RFC 7644 filtering. You can query users using userName eq "email@domain.com". The API returns paginated results with startIndex, itemsPerPage, and totalResults. You must handle pagination when the result set exceeds the default page size (typically 50).

The required OAuth scope for this operation is scim:users:read.

    def find_user_by_email(self, email: str) -> Optional[dict]:
        logger.info(f"Searching for user with email: {email}")
        token = self._ensure_token()
        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
        
        # SCIM 2.0 filter syntax for exact email match
        params = {
            "filter": f'userName eq "{email}"',
            "startIndex": 1,
            "count": 50
        }
        
        response = self.http.get(f"{self.base_url}/Users", headers=headers, params=params)
        response.raise_for_status()
        data = response.json()
        
        # Handle pagination if totalResults exceeds count
        current_page = 1
        while True:
            resources = data.get("Resources", [])
            if resources:
                logger.info(f"Found user ID: {resources[0]['id']}")
                return resources[0]
            
            total = data.get("totalResults", 0)
            if len(resources) >= total or len(resources) == 0:
                break
                
            params["startIndex"] += 50
            current_page += 1
            response = self.http.get(f"{self.base_url}/Users", headers=headers, params=params)
            response.raise_for_status()
            data = response.json()
            
        logger.warning(f"No user found with email: {email}")
        return None

The code initializes a GET request to /api/v2/scim/v2/Users. It parses the Resources array and loops until it either finds the user or exhausts the totalResults count. This pattern prevents silent failures when user directories are large.

Step 2: Construct the SCIM 2.0 Patch Payload for Password and MFA

Genesys Cloud accepts credential updates via PATCH /api/v2/scim/v2/Users/{id}. The payload must conform to the SCIM 2.0 PatchOp schema. You can combine multiple operations in a single request, which reduces network round trips and ensures atomic updates.

The required OAuth scope for this operation is scim:users:write.

    def build_patch_payload(self, new_password: str, mfa_phone: str) -> dict:
        # SCIM 2.0 PatchOp schema requires the schemas array and Operations array
        payload = {
            "schemas": ["urn:ietf:params:scim:api:messages:2.0:PatchOp"],
            "Operations": [
                {
                    "op": "replace",
                    "path": "password",
                    "value": new_password
                },
                {
                    "op": "replace",
                    "path": "mfaSettings",
                    "value": {
                        "enabled": True,
                        "mfaType": "phone",
                        "phoneNumber": mfa_phone
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
        return payload

The Operations array contains two replace actions. The first updates the password attribute. Genesys Cloud automatically marks the password as changed and may trigger a forced reset on next login depending on your organization policy. The second operation targets mfaSettings, a complex nested attribute. You must provide the full structure because replace overwrites the entire attribute tree. If you omit enabled or mfaType, the API returns a 400 Bad Request.

Step 3: Execute the Patch Request with Retry Logic and Audit Logging

Production integrations must handle transient failures. Genesys Cloud returns HTTP 429 when you exceed the rate limit (typically 100 requests per second per client). You must implement exponential backoff with jitter. The following method sends the PATCH request, handles 429 retries, and logs every action to the audit trail.

    def reset_password_and_enforce_mfa(self, user_id: str, new_password: str, mfa_phone: str, max_retries: int = 3) -> dict:
        logger.info(f"Initiating password reset and MFA enforcement for user: {user_id}")
        token = self._ensure_token()
        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}", "Content-Type": "application/scim+json"}
        payload = self.build_patch_payload(new_password, mfa_phone)
        
        for attempt in range(max_retries):
            response = self.http.patch(
                f"{self.base_url}/Users/{user_id}",
                headers=headers,
                json=payload
            )
            
            if response.status_code == 429:
                retry_after = int(response.headers.get("Retry-After", 2 ** attempt))
                logger.warning(f"Rate limited (429). Retrying in {retry_after} seconds (attempt {attempt + 1}/{max_retries})")
                import time
                time.sleep(retry_after)
                continue
            
            response.raise_for_status()
            result = response.json()
            
            logger.info(f"Successfully updated user {user_id}. Status: {response.status_code}")
            logger.info(f"Audit: User {user_id} password reset and MFA enforced. Phone: {mfa_phone}")
            return result
            
        logger.error(f"Failed to update user {user_id} after {max_retries} attempts")
        raise RuntimeError("Max retries exceeded for password reset operation")

The method uses application/scim+json as the content type, which is required for SCIM 2.0 endpoints. It catches 429 responses, reads the Retry-After header, and sleeps before retrying. If the request succeeds, it logs the action with the user ID and masked phone number. If all retries fail, it raises a RuntimeError to halt execution and trigger alerting in your pipeline.

Complete Working Example

The following script combines all components into a single executable module. You must set the environment variables GENESYS_CLIENT_ID, GENESYS_CLIENT_SECRET, GENESYS_TARGET_EMAIL, GENESYS_NEW_PASSWORD, and GENESYS_MFA_PHONE before running.

import httpx
import logging
import os
import sys
from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
from typing import Optional

logging.basicConfig(
    level=logging.INFO,
    format="%(asctime)s | %(levelname)s | %(message)s",
    handlers=[logging.FileHandler("genesys_scim_audit.log"), logging.StreamHandler()]
)
logger = logging.getLogger("GenesysScimClient")

class GenesysScimClient:
    def __init__(self, client_id: str, client_secret: str, org_domain: str = "mypurecloud.com"):
        self.client_id = client_id
        self.client_secret = client_secret
        self.base_url = f"https://api.{org_domain}/api/v2/scim/v2"
        self.token_url = f"https://api.{org_domain}/oauth/token"
        self.http = httpx.Client(timeout=httpx.Timeout(30.0), follow_redirects=True)
        self._access_token: Optional[str] = None
        self._token_expiry: Optional[datetime] = None

    def _ensure_token(self) -> str:
        if self._access_token and self._token_expiry and datetime.now(timezone.utc) < self._token_expiry:
            return self._access_token

        logger.info("Requesting new OAuth token")
        payload = {
            "grant_type": "client_credentials",
            "client_id": self.client_id,
            "client_secret": self.client_secret,
            "scope": "scim:users:read scim:users:write"
        }
        response = self.http.post(self.token_url, data=payload)
        response.raise_for_status()
        token_data = response.json()
        
        self._access_token = token_data["access_token"]
        expires_in = token_data.get("expires_in", 3600)
        self._token_expiry = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(seconds=expires_in)
        
        logger.info("OAuth token refreshed successfully")
        return self._access_token

    def find_user_by_email(self, email: str) -> Optional[dict]:
        logger.info(f"Searching for user with email: {email}")
        token = self._ensure_token()
        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
        
        params = {
            "filter": f'userName eq "{email}"',
            "startIndex": 1,
            "count": 50
        }
        
        response = self.http.get(f"{self.base_url}/Users", headers=headers, params=params)
        response.raise_for_status()
        data = response.json()
        
        while True:
            resources = data.get("Resources", [])
            if resources:
                logger.info(f"Found user ID: {resources[0]['id']}")
                return resources[0]
            
            total = data.get("totalResults", 0)
            if len(resources) >= total or len(resources) == 0:
                break
                
            params["startIndex"] += 50
            response = self.http.get(f"{self.base_url}/Users", headers=headers, params=params)
            response.raise_for_status()
            data = response.json()
            
        logger.warning(f"No user found with email: {email}")
        return None

    def build_patch_payload(self, new_password: str, mfa_phone: str) -> dict:
        payload = {
            "schemas": ["urn:ietf:params:scim:api:messages:2.0:PatchOp"],
            "Operations": [
                {
                    "op": "replace",
                    "path": "password",
                    "value": new_password
                },
                {
                    "op": "replace",
                    "path": "mfaSettings",
                    "value": {
                        "enabled": True,
                        "mfaType": "phone",
                        "phoneNumber": mfa_phone
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
        return payload

    def reset_password_and_enforce_mfa(self, user_id: str, new_password: str, mfa_phone: str, max_retries: int = 3) -> dict:
        logger.info(f"Initiating password reset and MFA enforcement for user: {user_id}")
        token = self._ensure_token()
        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}", "Content-Type": "application/scim+json"}
        payload = self.build_patch_payload(new_password, mfa_phone)
        
        for attempt in range(max_retries):
            response = self.http.patch(
                f"{self.base_url}/Users/{user_id}",
                headers=headers,
                json=payload
            )
            
            if response.status_code == 429:
                retry_after = int(response.headers.get("Retry-After", 2 ** attempt))
                logger.warning(f"Rate limited (429). Retrying in {retry_after} seconds (attempt {attempt + 1}/{max_retries})")
                import time
                time.sleep(retry_after)
                continue
            
            response.raise_for_status()
            result = response.json()
            
            logger.info(f"Successfully updated user {user_id}. Status: {response.status_code}")
            logger.info(f"Audit: User {user_id} password reset and MFA enforced. Phone: {mfa_phone}")
            return result
            
        logger.error(f"Failed to update user {user_id} after {max_retries} attempts")
        raise RuntimeError("Max retries exceeded for password reset operation")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    client_id = os.getenv("GENESYS_CLIENT_ID")
    client_secret = os.getenv("GENESYS_CLIENT_SECRET")
    target_email = os.getenv("GENESYS_TARGET_EMAIL")
    new_password = os.getenv("GENESYS_NEW_PASSWORD")
    mfa_phone = os.getenv("GENESYS_MFA_PHONE")

    if not all([client_id, client_secret, target_email, new_password, mfa_phone]):
        logger.error("Missing required environment variables")
        sys.exit(1)

    client = GenesysScimClient(client_id, client_secret)
    user = client.find_user_by_email(target_email)
    
    if user:
        try:
            result = client.reset_password_and_enforce_mfa(user["id"], new_password, mfa_phone)
            logger.info("Operation completed successfully")
        except Exception as e:
            logger.error(f"Operation failed: {e}")
            sys.exit(1)
    else:
        logger.error("Target user not found")
        sys.exit(1)

Common Errors & Debugging

Error: 401 Unauthorized

• What causes it: The OAuth token is expired, malformed, or missing from the Authorization header.
• How to fix it: Verify that _ensure_token() runs before every request. Check that your client credentials match an active Genesys Cloud integration. Ensure the token endpoint matches your organization domain (mypurecloud.com or genesys.cloud).
• Code showing the fix: The _ensure_token method already handles expiration. Wrap calls in a try-except block to catch httpx.HTTPStatusError and log the exact status code.

Error: 403 Forbidden

• What causes it: The OAuth token lacks the required scim:users:write scope, or the integration user does not have SCIM Administrator permissions.
• How to fix it: Navigate to your Genesys Cloud integration settings and add scim:users:write to the scope list. Assign the SCIM Administrator role to the service account associated with the client ID.
• Code showing the fix: Update the scope string in _ensure_token(): "scope": "scim:users:read scim:users:write".

Error: 429 Too Many Requests

• What causes it: You exceeded the per-client rate limit (typically 100 requests per second).
• How to fix it: Implement exponential backoff with jitter. Read the Retry-After header from the response. Batch operations where possible.
• Code showing the fix: The reset_password_and_enforce_mfa method includes a retry loop that checks response.status_code == 429 and sleeps for Retry-After seconds.

Error: 400 Bad Request (SCIM Schema Mismatch)

• What causes it: The PATCH payload omits the schemas array, uses lowercase operations instead of Operations, or provides an incomplete mfaSettings object.
• How to fix it: Ensure the payload matches the exact structure in build_patch_payload. Genesys Cloud SCIM 2.0 is strict about JSON key casing and nested attribute completeness.
• Code showing the fix: Use the exact payload structure provided. Validate JSON locally before sending with json.dumps(payload, indent=2).

Official References

• Genesys Cloud SCIM 2.0 API Documentation
• SCIM 2.0 Patch Operation Specification (RFC 7644)
• Genesys Cloud OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials Grant
• httpx Python HTTP Client Documentation