Students: Enhanced 2FA upgrades your online security
From: Division of Information Technology
To help protect personal data and university systems from cyber attack, Virginia Tech is upgrading our Duo 2-Factor Authentication service for all students this summer.
What is 2-Factor Authentication? 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a security method that requires users to provide two different forms of identification before accessing an account or service.
Why Enhanced 2FA? Enhanced 2FA greatly reduces the possibility of ‘multi-factor fatigue,’ which occurs when an attacker bombards a user with repeated multi-factor authentication requests, usually after the user’s password is compromised through a phishing exploit. The goal of these repeated requests is to annoy or exhaust the user into approving one of the requests, thereby granting the attacker access to the account.
Enhanced 2FA requires users to enter a time-sensitive three-digit code to complete the login process via the mobile app. This step is very quick but provides an important additional layer of security, even when an attacker is in possession of stolen login credentials. Enhanced 2FA will also end the option of using less-secure authentication methods, like SMS text messages or voice authentication, which can be intercepted or spoofed. If you’ve been using these methods, now is the time to explore new alternatives. In addition to using the mobile app, other second factor options are available, including hardware or software tokens.
Migration Schedule
This update will become mandatory over the summer: students will be migrated during the week of July 7. Note that at this time, support for SMS text and voice authentication methods will be discontinued. If you rely on text or voice authentication, you are urged to add one or more additional means of authenticating prior to July 7.
More Information
For more details, please refer to the following 4Help pages:
- Best Practices for 2-Factor Authentication Usage at Virginia Tech
- Frequently Asked Questions about Duo 2-Factor Authentication
If you have questions about 2-Factor Authentication, please contact 4Help IT Support online at 4help.vt.edu, or by phone at 540-231-4357.