Summary

Pursuant to the UT Austin Information Security Office's Information Resources Use and Security Policy section 4.6.4, Two Factor Authentication (2FA) will be required "when an employee or other individual providing services on behalf of the university who is working from a Remote Location accesses a web-based interface to University email."

Additionally, UT Austin's implementation includes clients that authenticate using Modern Authentication, both on and off-campus.

2FA Impacted Services

The requirement for 2FA impacts web-based mail for Office 365 or UT Mail Business accounts, Office 365 web applications, and desktop and mobile email programs using modern authentication. 

What is Modern Authentication?

Modern authentication is Microsoft's term for the combination of industry-standard authentication and authorization mechanisms (mainly SAML and OAuth 2.0) that replaces simple, direct username and password authentication. Modern authentication uses a web-based login form, even in desktop and mobile software outside the browser. Modern authentication has several advantages, the most important here being the ability to easily include other mechanisms in the authentication process, such as 2FA.

What Does It Look Like?

When logging in for the first time to an application that requires modern authentication, you will be presented with a DUO prompt after the login screen.

Modern Authentication on the Web

                                  

You have the option to remember the device so that you will not have to re-authenticate with DUO every time you log on. Note, when we roll out the change, you will only be required to 2FA once every 30 days on trusted devices. If you have your DUO settings configured to "automatic," you will need to cancel the prompt and then you will be able to check the box and authenticate. 

 

You have the option to remember the device so that you will not have to re-authenticate with DUO every time you logon. Note, when we roll out the change, you will only be required to 2FA once every 30 days on trusted devices. If you have your DUO settings configured to "automatic," you will need to cancel the prompt and then you will be able to check the box and authenticate. 

What Desktop and Mobile Clients Use Modern Authentication?

• Outlook for Windows
• Outlook for Mac
• Outlook for iOS and Android
• Recent Exchange ActiveSync clients (e.g., iOS 11 and 12 Mail)