Multi-Factor Authentication End-User Demonstration

How to Use Office 365 Multi-Factor Authentication

Watch this video to learn how to use all four authentication methods offered with Office 365 multi-factor authentication. We’ll show you how to use the Microsoft Authenticator App, a rotating PIN, a text message, and a phone call to approve your login requests.

Full Transcript: 

Multi-factor authentication is a security enhancement used to nearly eliminate account breaches that can compromise organizations by requiring a two-step verification method. A 2019 ZDNet article said enabling MFA in Office 365 or Google will eliminate 99.9% of account breaches. This video demonstrates four different end-user MFA experiences.

We’ll look at two within the Microsoft Authenticator Application, as well as a text message and phone call approval.

On our cell phone, we’ll use the Microsoft Authenticator app to approve a two-factor authentication request—this looks almost identical on both Apple and Android phones and is the quickest way to do MFA.

We’ll start by going to the Office 365 portal at portal.office.com. Enter our username and password. You’ll see we have received a two-factor authentication request directly to our phone. I select Approve in the application and then click Yes to stay logged in. And now we are fully logged in.

Here we will log in to Office 365 and use a rotating PIN within the Microsoft Authenticator app to approve a two-factor authentication. Again, we go to portal.office.com and enter the username and password. Now we go directly into our Authenticator app. You’ll see here there’s a rotating PIN based on time—enter in the PIN and click on verify. Click on Yes to stay signed in. Now you can see we’re fully logged in.

Next, we’ll use a text message for two-factor authentication. I’ll again go to portal.office.com and enter my username and password and press Sign In. After a few seconds I will receive a text message. Open it up and there will be a 6-digit PIN code. Enter that PIN into the portal and select Verify. Click on Yes to stay logged in. Now you can see we’re fully logged onto Office 365.

Finally, I’ll use a phone call to approve two-factor authentication. Once again, we go to portal.office.com and enter the username and password. Now we wait for our phone call.

We press the # key.

Click on Yes to stay signed in and we are fully logged into Office 365.

The Multi-Factor Authentication End-User Experience: Four Methods

Multi-factor authentication is a security enhancement that requires users to have more than one piece of information to verify their identity and gain access to their accounts. Many users use only a username and password combination, though passwords are one of the weakest security elements.

With multi-factor authentication in Office 365, you’re not only protecting your own data, but also the rest of your organization. Think of all the systems and information you have access to and how someone with malicious intent could use all that necessary information you use to do your job effectively to instead cause mayhem and tear your company down.

While identity based-attacks are seeing dramatic increases in recent years—because they rely on end-users, who aren’t as smart as artificial-intelligence-powered security systems or anti-virus software suites—many people don’t believe identity attacks can have serious consequences for their business.

And while the consequences can be catastrophic, the fix for these attacks is really quite simple. Multi-factor authentication is easy to use and can be implemented and configured relatively quickly by an experienced Microsoft Partner.

A 2019 ZDNet article said enabling MFA in Office 365 or Google will eliminate 99.9% of account breaches. This video demonstrates four different end-user MFA experiences. With odds like that, it’s a pretty simple decision to enable multi-factor authentication.

Here we’ll go through the four types of authentication methods Microsoft offers with Office 365. There’s a method that will work for anyone—even your most technology-adverse colleagues.

How to Approve a Multi-Factor Authentication Request Using the Microsoft Authenticator App

The Microsoft Authenticator App is the fastest way to approve a two-factor authentication request. The app is available from both the App Store and Google Play store for Apple and Android Devices.

1. Navigate to portal.office.com to log into your Office 365 account.
2. Enter your username and password. The sign in page will let you know that you need to approve this request.
3. On your phone, you’ll receive a push notification asking if you want to approve the login. Click Approve.
4. Back on your computer, your login will start processing automatically.

How to Approve a Multi-Factor Authentication Request Using a Rotating PIN on the Authenticator App

If you select to authenticate using a rotating PIN, you’ll be able to open the Authenticator app at anytime to see a PIN that refreshes every 30 seconds.

1. Navigate to portal.office.com to log into your Office 365 account.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. The sign in page will ask you to enter a code.
4. On your mobile device, open the Authenticator app to see the current PIN,
5. Enter the displayed PIN into the Office 365 sign in page and click Verify.

How to Approve a Multi-Factor Authentication Request Using a Text Message

Although the Authenticator app is the quickest and most secure way to approve authentication requests, you can add your mobile phone number to your authentication profile as well.

1. Navigate to portal.office.com to log into your Office 365 account.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. The sign in page will ask you to enter a code, and within a few seconds you’ll receive a text message with your one-time passcode.
4. Enter the one-time passcode from the text message into the Office 365 sign in page and click Verify.

How to Approve a Multi-Factor Authentication Request Using a Phone Call

This option works for people who don’t have a company-managed cell phone or want to keep work stuff off their private devices and would prefer to authenticate through their work phone number. With a phone call authentication, you don’t have to use a smart device.

1. Navigate to portal.office.com to log into your Office 365 account.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. The sign in page will let you know that you need to approve the sign in request. You’ll get a call from the Microsoft Sign in Verification System asking you to approve the request.
4. Press the # key on your phone to approve the request.
5. Back on your computer, your login will start processing automatically.

The verification method you choose depends solely on your preferences and what’s easiest for you to managed. An experienced Microsoft Partner can help you set up Conditional Access Policies within Office 365 so you’re not prompted to use a two-factor authentication each time you sign in—for example, when you’re on your work computer and in a company office.

After your company turns on Office 365, end-users will be asked to complete their Multi-Factor Authentication Profile on their next sign in, where they can enter in their security contact information and choose which contact method they want to be the default.

Are you a business owner or IT admin trying to determine if MFA is really the best choice for your organization? Watch our Multi-Factor Authentication: Ten Minute Tech Talk where we examine the threat landscape, talk about getting end-user buy in, and address common MFA implementation concerns.

Are you an end-user trying to learn how to use MFA after it’s been turned on for your organization? Check out the video below to learn how to set up your contact information and get started.