Do I download the MS Authenticator app on my phone or my computer?
The MS Authenticator app is for use on your smartphone only. The app will not work on a flip phone or computer/laptop/chromebook.
I would rather not use my personal cell phone for school purposes, can I get a security token?
In short, the answer is yes. However, for the user, using your smartphone is the easiest method for authentication purposes. It is common practice in almost all workplaces that users use a personal smartphone for MFA purposes.
To explain a little further, you are simply using your phone as a security token. It is a verification method to prove that you are you. It is very similar to using your Drivers License as a means of proving you are you. The District has no access to your phone and it will not be accessible by anyone in the District because you are using it for MFA.
Additionally, security keys can be lost and potentially used by others to gain access to your account. Again, if you feel you need a security token or do not have a cell phone for MFA purposes, please fill out the linked form here.
What if I forget my cell phone at home?
The MFA process we have setup currently works by remembering who you are on your device for up to 90 days. Chances are, if you forget your phone at home, you should be able to log into your email on the device you use daily. However, if you need to switch devices for the day and log into your email, you will be required to use MFA to login.
Additionally, if you do happen to get prompted for MFA and you forgot your phone, you can contact the Technology Department and they can help you get temporary access.
Will this app take up a lot of room on my phone? I am hearing that it does.
No. It takes up very little space. Less than 200 MB. This is extremely small in terms of app usage on a 64GB phone. In fact it would take up .3% of your storage space on a 64GB phone.
My cell phone does not get good reception in my building. How will I be able to receive MFA requests with no cell coverage?
The WRPS Technology Support Department is well aware of the poor cell phone reception in a number of our buildings. Because of this, we have changed our wireless policy to allow you to connect your cell phone to the wireless within your building. Staff will now be able to use the “WRS” network. To gain access you will use your network credentials to login.
If you are not able to access the wireless network or the cellular network, the MS Authenticator App does work offline. You can MFA by using the one-time passcode option. You can contact any member of the Technology Support Department to show you how to authenticate using the one-time passcode on the MS Authentication App.
If I do not have unlimited usage how will this affect my bill and my phone plan? If it goes up in price?
The app will use minimal to any noticeable data on your phone. In fact, if you are using it at school and you connect to the wireless network, you will use zero data. You can also use the app in a way that requires zero connection to the wireless and zero cellular data. You would just use the passcode functionality built within the app. Keep in mind, if you have a dedicated device, you will only have to MFA a few times each year. Same with at home, if you login in there, it will remember you for 90 days. So really, the data usage is minimal to almost zero.
Will the two-step verification, one-time passcodes, and push approvals in Microsoft Authenticator save my passwords/codes?
No. Nothing is saved in your phone in terms of passwords. Your phone only generates the passcodes when prompted for them when logging in.
Is there someone in my building that has some training on MFA?
All building Technology Cadres as well as the entire Technology Support Department has been using MFA for quite some time. The building Technology Cadres should be your first stop for help with MFA. The list of Technology Cadres is listed in this document.
Where can I find a copy of the instructions to set up MFA on my account?
A number of documents can be found in the Technology Support Website under MFA. A copy of MFA for Staff can be found by clicking on the link here.
I have not been prompted to enter any MFA information or set up the MS Authenticator App. Did I miss something?
No, you did not miss anything. We will enable MFA Monday Jan 15, 2024 around 8am in the morning. If you happen to log in to your email before 8am, you will not be prompted to set up MFA. You won’t be prompted until the next time you have to log into your email or Skyward using EntraID.
Do I need to carry my phone with me everywhere I go now that MFA will be enabled?
Most likely, NO. Most of you have dedicated computers that you use on a day to day basis. However, if you are a person who logs in frequently on numerous computers because of the nature of your job, you may need to carry your phone with you regularly. To avoid this, make sure you use the same computer to check your email or log into Google.
Should I select the option to stay signed in when I am prompted to do so?
Yes, but only if you are on a computer that is used by you on a regular basis. For example, if you are on your teacher's workstation, you should select “Yes”. If you are on a lab computer or a public computer used by many users, you should say no, and then make sure to log out when you leave.
Also, make sure that you DO NOT check the box, “Don’t show this again”. Otherwise the next time you need to authenticate you won’t be able to select “Yes” to stay signed in.
What happens if my computer gets re-imaged or I need to delete all of my internet browsing history and/or cookies?
If your computer needs to be re-image in any way, you will need to repeat the MFA process. Once completed with the MFA process, you will be good to go for another 90 days.
In the event you need to delete all of your “cookies”, you will need to go through the MFA process again. Simply deleting your internet browsing history should not cause you to have to MFA again.
Why are you making us use Multi-factor Authentication?
The simple answer is to ensure your account remains secure and can only be accessed by you.
Unfortunately, our world is full of unethical individuals that seek to exploit information and money from unsuspecting individuals or organizations by gaining access to their accounts and eventually locking them down. This is best accomplished by sending Phishing emails, many of which staff at WRPS receive on a daily basis. Users open and click on links in these phishing emails thinking they are legitimate and they have now opened the door to the “bad actors”. Sometimes these links lead to websites that ask for credentials, some install programs on your computer, some ask you to enter your network password to proceed, some ask you to send credentials to them and so forth.
Once you share credentials or enter a password, the bad actor is now in possession of what they are after! Most of the time they don’t need your username as they already know that. It is fairly common to use your firstname.lastname@domainname.com as a user name. With this information in hand, they can now access your email and set up rules within the email program unbeknownst to you. These rules often automatically forward account recovery information, password reset emails, and certain notifications to the “bad actors”. Using these credentials they set up accounts under your name, using your email address and posing as you. In a work environment they may attempt to email others within the organization or they can even send emails that contain ransomware software that can be unleashed with the click of the mouse. The list goes on and on....
Hence, why MFA is so important. The bad actors won’t have access to your smartphone to verify it is you logging in when they attempt to do so, hence mitigating any potential access to your account.
Why do we need to download an app to be able to do this for the school district? I have other places in my life that use phone authentication like my bank and hospital accounts.
We are implementing a higher level of security than banks and hospitals do for their customers. The reason for lower security for customers is needed because of the variety of clients they have with different needs. The highest level of MFA typically is SMS text or email. This form of MFA is okay, but can be easily spoofed, and not recommended for employees of an organization. In fact, I suspect within the next few years more and more organizations will be moving to app based MFA for their customer base. Most, if not all banks and hospitals do require the same level of authentication security we are implementing today for their employees and have been doing so for several years.
As for why the app, this is the easiest and best method for you the user to use for MFA. Essentially you are using your phone to prove to us that you are who you say you are as that phone is tied directly to you. It is much like using a Driver's license to prove your identity. This is no different. You own the phone, so we know it is tied to you.
Additionally, we are offering SMS text as a secondary method of MFA, but keep in mind, if you are in a building that does not receive cellular reception, SMS text is not the best option, the Authenticator App will be your best bet as you do not need connectivity for it to work.
What if I keep getting asked for MFA everyday?
If you keep getting prompted for MFA everyday on the computer you use daily, please reachout to your building tech immediately. There are settings that might need to be changed and/or cookies removed that could be causing this. You should not have to MFA everyday on the computer you use daily.
What if I lose my phone or Security Token?
Notify the Technology Support team immediately so we can deactivate your phone or your security token. In the event you find your phone, you can simply reassociate the phone by going through the MFA setup process again. If you find your security token, you can reach out to Technology Support and we will reactivate your Security Token.
What do I do if I purchase a new phone?
If you get a new phone and you are able to go through the data transfer process from your old phone to the new phone, it should transfer your Authenticator data. If not or you run into an issue, there are several options to associate your new phone to your account. See below for your options.
- Option 1: Depending on the phone type, you can install or restore your phone from a backup file. Of course this would assume you have a backup file and it is up-to-date. To restore from backup you will need to consult your phone manufacturer’s directions.
- Option 2: Log into your Microsoft My Sign-Ins account page and navigate to Security Info. Select “Add sign-in Method” and select Authenticator App. Then follow the prompts to complete the setup.
- Option 3: Call the Technology Support Department for assistance.
With all options, it will be important for you to disassociate/delete your old phone with your account. You can do this via the Microsoft MySigns page under the Security settings or by calling the Technology Support Department.
