Multifactor Authentication, also called MFA, has been adopted to secure campus resources through our Fort Lewis Microsoft accounts.  Unlike account authentication requiring only a username and password, this exchange uses an additional customized verification, greatly reducing the risk of account compromise. In a nutshell, multifactor makes sure only you have access to your FLC Microsoft account and protects the organization's data.

• Multifactor authentication increases security as an additional barrier against cyberattacks, particularly when working remotely and traveling
• There is a variety of choices to meet your authentication needs to ensure you can access your account, but no one else can
• It removes the risk for hackers and cyber threats to crack your passwords, which can be very easy on repeated and simple passwords
• Microsoft can monitor and better anticipate when others are attempting to log in to your account and disable their point of access without disturbing your experience

• You will be locked out of your account and unable to access your email and other Microsoft apps
• Your data and FLC data you have access to may now be vulnerable and shared to threats to the organization. We all have a responsibility to protect the data we access
• Your email address could be used to send out phishing scams, viruses, ransomware attacks, or other harmful links to your organization

Your initial setup of verification methods will take approximately 5-15 minutes. After that, you can adjust your methods anytime from your security settings as needed. If you primarily work on campus, you will likely forget that you even have it set up, as you will not often be prompted on the campus network. When you change the wi-fi connection your work device is connect to, you will be reminded that Microsoft is protecting your account with an MFA prompt; when working remotely, you will also be prompted. Currently Microsoft apps, Canvas, Workday, the VPN connection, and some other FLC programs will ask you to authenticate with the same MFA settings upon your first login of the day. 

This is not an exhaustive list, and additional prompts may occur with certain software security settings.

• You access your Fort Lewis Microsoft account from a new device.
• You access your Fort Lewis Microsoft account from an unfamiliar IP address/ Wi-Fi network
• You are already logged in to Microsoft or Workday, and then change connections (ex. drive from work to home with the laptop asleep)
• You clear your cache/cookies in the web browser used to access Office 365 Microsoft apps
• You work from home and use the VPN to access FLC resources. Our cloud OpenVPN will require MFA verification upon the first login of each day with the same MFA credentials as your Microsoft settings.
• You login to Workday off campus or from a mobile device. MFA is required by Workday and is the only exception to FLC portals with CAS logins. Use the same credentials as your Microsoft settings

• All active students have MFA enabled on FLC Microsoft accounts. 
• Prospective and newly admitted students will not have MFA until they submit confirmation of attendance.
• Student workstudy accounts are accessible on campus only as a default and do not require MFA.

  However, in the event a workstudy resource needs to be accessed occasionally off campus, MFA will be required to set up with the user. Send a request for offsite access to a workstudy account by submitting a ticket in the support portal.

Microsoft provides several different methods for verifying your account with Multifactor Authentication. In case you do not have your default method available, you can always choose to log in to your account with a different method. 

• Microsoft Authenticator App:This is recommended as your default notification method. Your Microsoft browser window will notify that you need to authenticate. Your app will send a notification to your phone. There are several additional options to choose from within the Authenticator App:
  • One-Time Code- Your mobile device will receive a notification pop-up with a number code to enter into your browser
  • Push Notification- Your mobile device will receive a notification pop-up to verify an attempted login by clicking Approve or Deny
  • Passwordless- the app has several ways to use passwordless, such as setting up the biometric pin that matches your phone (fingerprint), or your screen pattern.

The Authenticator App can be installed on a tablet or secondary device.

No Phone? If you do not have a cell phone or tablet, and would like to utilize the Authenticator App, wi-fi only phones are available to rent from the IT Help Desk. IT may also offer the option of a USB passkey that can be touched to verify to specific needs. 

You can remove, add and update methods at any time from your Microsoft Security Info.