Setting up MFA (Multi-factor Authentication)

• Overview
• First Time Setup
• Change in Setup (ex: new phone)

Overview

As a way of improving our overall security with our Microsoft accounts we are now requiring MFA for all our regional management and headquarters employees, both remote and in Fort Washington. It is now a best-practice because passwords are not enough to protect your account. MFA provides an added layer of security for your work account in case others acquire or guess your password.

What is MFA?

Multi-factor Authentication, or MFA, is an authentication method in which a computer user is granted access only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence (or factors) to an authentication mechanism, like a login screen. One factor is knowledge, or something the user and only the user knows, like a password. A second factor is possession, or something the user and only the user has, like a mobile phone. There can be more factors, but for our implementation this is all you need. MFA makes is more difficult for a perpetrator to get access to your account, even if they know your password.

First Time Setup

Note: You will need your computer and your mobile phone in front of you at the same time

1. Contact us to make sure that MFA is activated on your account. It will be activated for HQ employees and Regional Managers. All others can request it via a help ticket.
2. Download the Microsoft Authenticator app from your mobile apps store
3. Follow the 6 steps in this article from Microsoft​​​​

Change in Setup

Note: You will need your computer and your mobile phone in front of you at the same time

If you need to add your account in your Authenticator app because you got a new phone or had trouble with the initial setup, follow these instructions:

1. In the Authenticator app on your mobile phone, click the "+" to add your work account. In that process, you will get a screen on your phone that prompts for the scanning of a QR code
2. Go back to your computer. In a web browser, open this address: https://aka.ms/mfasetup

3. Choose Mobile app from the dropdown

4. Make sure "Receive notifications for verifications" is selected

5. Click Set up

6. It will present you with a QR code that you can now scan with your mobile phone
7. Go back to your mobile phone and place the camera square in the app over the QR code on your computer's screen
8. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the setup process. It will send your phone a test notification to approve.