multi-factor authentication

[darkoshi]

At work, our email system has been switched to Outlook. For accessing our email via the web, they've set up multi-factor authentication via text message. But it's not the kind where they text a number to you, and you have to enter that number on a webpage. Instead, they text a number to you, and you have to reply to the text, and in the reply you have to type in the number they sent you.

So not only does it eat up one text message (on your personal privately-funded cellphone!) each time you need to log in, but two. And you have to fumble to type the number correctly on your small cell phone screen. Switching the screen to larger landscape mode doesn't help, because then the original text is no longer shown so you can't see the number anymore that you're supposed to type.

Gah. Gah. Gah!

There's supposed to be a way of entering security questions instead of replying to the text. Before when I didn't reply to the text message in time, the security questions were automatically displayed. Now I get a blank page. Gah! I'll have to look up the instructions again.

And all this just so I can check my work email from home before leaving for work, without having to turn my work laptop on.

Comments

[andrewducker]

I take it there's nothing as useful as an actual app?

[marahmarie]

Huh, come to think of it, I believe there is. I'm writing the reply to you instead of D. because I need to go look for it in the store, but it's called the Web Authenticator if I recall correctly, and if I can find it I'll reply to D's post with the link. Oh wait, it would have to work on (I don't know which OS she's using for her phone, so I'll have to reply directly, after all)...

[marahmarie]

Are you using a smart phone, and if so, is it Android? We have an app on Win 8 and Win 10 smart phones that handles all this stuff for us but if you don't have a smart phone (or if MS doesn't publish the app for Android users, and you're on Android) then it's of no use.

[darkoshi]

The MFA is through my company's system, not thru Microsoft. There is an app, but not for my version of Android.
Replying by text works for me, it's just aggravating. And it's the principle of the matter (using up my privately-paid texts or minutes for work business) that bugs me. I'll get over it one day.

[darkoshi]

There is, but not for my Android version (Gingerbread). As I mentioned below, it's the principle of the matter that bugs me most. Even though part of my brain says that, working for a tech company, it makes sense that the company might expect employees to have a cell phone with a more current Android version and an unlimited plan.