Big Bend Technology

MFA is used to help protect your account against hackers and phishing attacks by making it more
difficult for the attacker to access your account. Many State and Federal laws and policies are now requiring MFA authentication.

At Big Bend, there are several types of factors available to you to choose from in addition to your
password. You can enable more than one type of factor available to be used:

• iOS/Android app that can be used to receive push notifications
• SMS text message to a mobile phone
• Voice Call to a mobile or landline phone
• Physical One Time Password (OTP) ‘token’ which will display a random 6-digit number
• FIDO USB touch security key

The recommendation for students and employees that have a mobile device is to install the free
“Okta Verify” app to receive push notifications. This is a more secure and reliable option than SMS/Text. With Okta Verify, it’s all done securely through the lightweight app. The Okta Verify app can also be used without Wi-Fi or Cellular Data network signal.

To setup Okta Verify as a factor

1. Click the ‘My Apps’ link at the top of the Big Bend Webpage
2. If you aren’t automatically directed to your dashboard, login to Okta.
3. From your Okta ‘My Apps’ dashboard, click your name in the upper right-hand corner, and select
   “Settings”.
4. The account settings page appears. You may need to click on the green “Edit Profile” button at
   the top (if shown) to enable access to the sections below.
5. Scroll down to the section labeled “Extra Verification” and click “Set up” next to Okta Verify.
   On the Set up multifactor authentication window, click the “Setup” button.
6. Select your mobile device type (iPhone or Android) and then download the “Okta Verify” app
   from the app store on your mobile device. (Note: be sure to download the “Okta Verify” app
   not the “Okta Mobile” app). Click Next once the app is downloaded to your mobile device.
7. Launch the Okta Verify app on your mobile device and select “Add an account”. Scan the QR
   code displayed on the screen using the app. (Click “Can’t scan?” if you’re unable to scan the QR
   code to have an activation link sent via SMS or Email)

For students and employees who are unable to use a mobile device for the Okta Verify app or SMS/Text, One Time Password (OTP) tokens are available in the Library.

To use the token at login:

1. When prompted for an authentication factor, select “OTP C200” from the available factors list (if
   not already selected)
2. Press the button on the token to display the current 6-digit number.
3. Enter the number into the box at the authentication prompt and click “Verify”.

If your token is lost, stolen or stops working, you’ll need to notify library staff so they can deactivate the
old token and assign a new token. If you no longer need the token, please return it to the library
for deactivation and re-use.

Employees who are unable to use a mobile device for the Okta Verify app or SMS/Text have the option to use a FIDO key. This is a touch-sensitive device that stays plugged into your computer for ease of use. If you typically work from the same computer, this might be preferable over an OTP token. FIDO keys are available in the Library.

To set up the FIDO key:

1. Insert the key into an available USB port on your workstation or laptop. You’ll want this to be in reach because you’ll need to be able touch the key when needed.
2. Open a web browser and click the ‘My Apps’ link at the top of the Big Bend Webpage
3. Once logged into Okta, click your name in the upper right-hand corner and select “Settings”.
4. The account settings page appears. You may need to click on the green “Edit Profile” button at
   the top (if shown) to enable access to the sections below.
5. Scroll down to the section labeled “Extra Verification” and click “Set up” next to “Security Key or
   Biometric Authenticator”.
6. On the Set up multifactor authentication window, click the “Setup” button.
7. Click the “Enroll” button to initiate the enroll process for your key
8. You’ll be prompted to insert the security key and touch it to complete the enrollment. (A light on
   the security key will be flashing).
9. Your browser may also ask if you want to allow the site (bigbend.okta.com) to see your security
   key. Click “Allow”.

1. When prompted for an authentication factor, select “Security Key or Biometric Authenticator”
   from the available factors list if not already selected.
2. Your browser will prompt you to insert and touch the security key to authenticate. Touch the key when prompted.

Note: The FIDO key is intended to be left in your computer. You should avoid carrying it around – because it’s so small, it can be easily lost. If you frequently use multiple computers, consider a One Time Password (OTP) token instead.