Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security for your account. It is used in addition to your username and password. It works just like an SMS one time pin – except that we won’t send you an SMS. You will get a one time pin from the Authenticator App. . The Authenticator App is something that you download onto your phone and only you should have access to this app.
Frequently Asked Questions about 2 Factor Authentication (2FA).
What is 2FA?
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security for your account. It is used in addition to your username and password. It works just like an SMS one time pin – except that we won’t send you an SMS. You will get a one time pin from the Authenticator App. The Authenticator App is something that you download onto your phone and only you should have access to this app.
Why is 2FA important?
The use of 2FA will enhance ZiTenga’s information security by requiring users to identify themselves by more than a username and password. While important, usernames and passwords are vulnerable to attacks by third parties that utilize programs to generate usernames and passwords to try to gain access to a user’s devices. Using a 2FA factor like a thumbprint or physical hardware key means increased confidence that the University’s data will stay safe from cyber criminals.
Why do I have to do this? It seems like a pain.
It is much easier to just put in a password. However, passwords are extremely vulnerable. You can make a very strong and secure password, but hackers and bad actors are coming up with new ways every day to access your data and private information. Passwords are not enough to protect your information and ZiTenga systems.
How does 2FA work?
2FA requires additional verification information (factors). One of the most common that users encounter are one-time passwords (OTP) — those 4-8 digit codes that you often receive via email, SMS or some sort of mobile app and that are for one use only. With OTPs, a new code is generated periodically or each time an authentication request is submitted. The code is generated based upon a seed value that is assigned to the user when they first register and some other factor that could simply be a counter that is incremented or a time value.
How to enable 2FA
Go to your security settings (by clicking on your Profile Name and then clicking on Settings) and follow the instructions to enable 2FA using an Authenticator App. Download an Authenticator App such as Google Authenticator or Authy.
To enable 2FA on your device, you will need to follow these steps:
- Download and open the Authenticator app on your mobile device.
- Click “add new account” (or the plus sign) in the Authenticator app.
- In your ZiTenga app, go to “Secure my account” in the menu,
- Follow the prompts to capture your email and password
- Either scan the QR code or copy the secret key and paste it into the Authenticator app.
- Enter the code that appears on the Authenticator into the ZiTenga App, where it says, “Enter your Authenticator Code”
- Click submit to activate 2FA.
Then you’re all set. To confirm that you have enabled 2FA, please log out of your account and then log back in, you should be asked to enter your 2FA code.