Multi-factor methods: an overview
Manage your policy's secondary authentication methods here.
Supported multi-factor methods
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an additional layer of security beyond just a (single-factor) username and password-based authentication. You can have your customers take steps to protect their online identities against threats such as unauthorized access, account takeover or hijacking, and fraudulent transactions.
You can configure the following MFA methods in the Admin Console:
Method Type | Security Posture | Ease of Adoption | Coverage | Usability |
---|---|---|---|---|
Password | Weak | Easy | Broad | Easy |
Voice Call OTP | Moderate | Easy | Broad | Medium |
SMS OTP | Moderate | Medium | Broad | Medium |
Email OTP | Moderate | Medium | Broad | Medium |
SMS Magic Links | Strong | Easy | Medium | Easy |
Email Magic Links | Moderate | Easy | Broad | Easy |
Google Authenticator or other Soft Token | Strong | Medium | Medium | Medium |
FIDO2 Platform Biometric Authenticator | Strong | Easy | Medium | Easy |
FIDO2 Security Key | Strong | Medium | Broad | Easy |
Email & phone factors
Email and phone authenticator settings
Passcodes via email | Sends a one-time passcode to the customer's confirmed email address. |
Magic links via email | Sends a one-time expirable link to the customer's confirmed email address. |
Passcode via text message or voice call | Sends a one-time passcode by default, or initiates a voice call per request to the customer's confirmed phone number. Customers can ask for a voice call in their authentication workflow. |
Magic links via text message | Sends a one-time expirable link to the customer's confirmed phone number. |
Factor restriction
You can choose which factors to allow under email and phone method authentication, or allow both available factors per method.
Authenticator restriction checkboxes
Restrict customers to enroll only the email address(es) or phone number(s) as secondary authenticators that are already added to their account as an identifier or personal information.
Parameters
Here, you can set the lifetime of different authenticator tokens delivered via email or phone.
Passcode Lengths | Specifies the character length of the one-time passcodes for both email and phone number-based methods. Recommended minimum length: 6 characters (digits) by default. Maximum length: 8 characters. |
Passcode Lifetimes | Specifies the character length of the one-time passcodes for both email and phone number-based methods. Recommended minimum length: 6 characters (digits) by default. Maximum length: 8 characters. |
Magic Link Lifetime | Decides the lifetime of Magic Links for both email and phone-based methods. The lifetime of a Magic Link starts from the time the message has been sent out. Strivacity invalidates the Magic Link once its lifetime has been exceeded. In this case, customers will have to restart the login process. |
Google Authenticator or other soft token authenticator apps
Enable the Google Authenticator or other soft token authenticator apps as a secondary authenticator option for your customers. Customers will receive their temporary one-time passcodes via the application.
Soft token authenticator settings
Label Name | You can help customers identify which token to look for in their authenticator app by adding a descriptive name. This way they will spot more easily which temporary token to use for your application. If there is no Label Name added, the soft token label in the authenticator application will default to the brand name specified in the application's branding policy. |
See Setup and Manage Customer Notification for further information on how to customize and brand the Adaptive MFA notification email and text messages.
FIDO2 authenticators
You can offer FIDO2-based authentication options for your customers by enabling platform biometric authentication or security key enrollment for your application.
Platform biometric authenticator and security key authenticator settings
Platform biometric authenticator
If enabled, you allow customers to enroll the biometric information as an authenticator of the device they are currently using to access your application.
The customer's enrollment and authentication experience will slightly vary depending on the biometric security system they have installed in their devices.
Security key
If enabled, you allow customers to enroll a roaming authenticator such as a security key (YubiKey, Titan Security Key) or a FIDO-compliant mobile device as an authenticator.
The customer's enrollment and authentication experience will slightly vary depending on the browser and OS the customer is using.
MFA enrollment configuration
Enable or disable MFA methods, prompt your customers to enroll in an MFA method of their choice, or request them to enroll in multiple authentication methods.
Optional MFA
You can leave it up entirely to your customers to switch on MFA in their self-service accounts by leaving enabled MFA methods optional.
One multi-factor method always needs to be enabled for your adaptive MFA workflow.
Once logged in, customers can manage factors for each enrolled authentication method in their self-service portal:

Self-service portal security settings
Your customer service can assist customers with MFA enrollment (every method except for platform biometric and security key enrollment) from the customer's account in the Admin Console.
Mandatory MFA
Request your customers to enroll in the selected MFA methods at registration or login to enhance the security of their accounts.
If multiple MFA methods are mandatory, your customers will be required to enroll in each method at registration or on their next login in the following order: email authentication first, then phone authentication if mandatory, then soft token, and so on.
After successful enrollment for each mandatory method, customers will only be stepped up to one of the enrolled methods during future logins.
Additional settings
Additional settings
Make at least one optional method mandatory at next login or registration
When selected, your customers will be required to enroll in one of the optional authentication methods before continuing in their registration or login workflow.
This option is only available if there are no mandatory methods selected.
Skip MFA selection screen when there is only one method registered
This setting can reduce friction in authentication journeys. When selected, the MFA selection screen will be skipped if customers only have one MFA method enrolled.
Updated 18 days ago