MFA: Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

MFA Frequently Asked Questions

 


Q: Will MFA impact printer logins?

A: No, you will not be prompted for MFA authentication when accessing the YSU network on-premises.  

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Q. Will I need to use MFA while in the Residence Halls or using the YSU Guest Network?

A. If you connect to YSU_Guest, YSUHousing_Residents, or YSUHousing_Guests, you will need to use MFA.  Please note that you can select the box to keep for 60 days before it will ask again to re-authenticate.  The same is true if you live in the Courtyard Apartments, Enclave, The Lofts, or The Edge.

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Q: What do I do if email on my phone is not working after MFA enrollment?

A: If you are using Apple or Samsung Mail applications, please refer to this knowledgebase link: Account-MFA: Unenroll and Re-enroll in Device Native Mail Clients

Note: The Outlook Mail application is the recommended and preferred method for accessing email on your phone.

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Q: What if I forgot my mobile device at home?

A: You will not be prompted for MFA when logging into the YSU network on-premises.

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Q: I am receiving requests to verify authentications I do not recognize. What should I do?

A: If you are receiving requests to verify authentication attempts that you do not recognize, your password has likely been compromised. You should change your password immediately.

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Q: When will I be prompted for multi-factor authentication?

A: You will be prompted for MFA if your authentication appears risky. Signing in from a new location or device are some factors that contribute to making an authentication attempt appear risky. You will not be prompted when accessing the YSU network on-premises.

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Q: There are people that are concerned this will be an extra step to getting to their account. What can you say about that?

A: Since this is a security protection at the user level, we could not make it completely invisible. However, we were able to make decisions on when and how MFA would show as to minimize the impact to user experience. A prime example of this is how users on the campus network will not be challenged by MFA. Another would be how we allow users to select the option to register their device for a period of time after the initial challenge.

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Q: Will I need to authenticate on-campus every day?

A: Not necessarily, if a user is on campus and connected to the campus network, they will not see MFA.

Note: However, if they are physically on campus, but on a different network, such as cellular service, then they may see MFA. This will ultimately depend on if they registered their device during the last MFA prompt. If the user selects the box to not ask for MFA for a designated time period during their sign-in, it will not challenge them for that program again for that period.

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Q: How does MFA impact YSU?

A: MFA is a critical function to YSU account security and the safety to all University systems. The implementation directly combats the high level of unauthorized account breach attempts, which makes up approximately 46% of all sign-in attempts to University accounts. To put this in perspective, there are on average 14K+ account compromise attempts per day across the University.

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If you have additional questions not addressed here, please contact the IT Service Desk at (330) 941-1595 or servicedesk@ysu.edu.

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Details

Article ID: 135022
Created
Tue 10/26/21 11:44 AM
Modified
Wed 2/28/24 12:27 PM

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