How to setup Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a method of authenticating your account with something you have and something you know. An example would be your SSO account password, and a code sent to your mobile phone. Enabling MFA increases the security of your account and helps prevent it from being compromised.

To increase the Fred Brown’s security posture, MFA will add a layer of protection to your Single Sign-On (SSO) account. MFA helps protect against unauthorized access such as phishing attacks, social engineering, and brute force attacks.

Go to https://aka.ms/mfasetup. You will then be taken to the Microsoft Online Sign in screen. Enter your full Fred Brown email address and click Next.

 

Enter your Microsoft/Email password and click Sign in

Click on Next

 

At this point you will have 2 options for enabling Multi-Factor Authentication. One option is to use the Microsoft Authenticator mobile application. This option is more complex to setup, but is considered the most secure option. If you want something easier to use, please follow the steps for the Second option which is SMS or Text Messaging to your mobile phone. 

 1.) Microsoft Authenticator

If you’d like to use the Microsoft Authenticator application proceed past the SMS setup steps

2.) SMS or Text Messaging 

Proceed with steps below.

Click on I want to set up a different method
 

In the drop down select Phone and hit Confirm
 

Type in your mobile phone number, select Text me a code and hit Next

When you receive the code via SMS or text message, type in the code and hit Next
 

If the correct code is entered, you will see that your phone number has been registered. Please click on Next then click Done

 

 

The steps below will go through how to setup the Microsoft Authenticator application on your mobile phone. You will need to download the application from your mobile application store (App Store or Google Play).

On the computer, click Next

Click on Next again

Please proceed to download the application from your mobile application store depending on the type of phone you are using. Be sure to download Microsoft Authenticator as there are a lot of impersonators.

For this demonstration an iPhone is being used for the screenshots. If you are using an Android device, the screenshots may vary but should be similar.

After the application is done downloading, please open it.

 If you never used this application before, you should see something similar to below.

Tap on Scan a QR code

You will then see the phone ask for permission to use your Camera to scan the QR code and to enable notifications to verify you. Please see below and tap on OK. 

You will then need to scan the QR code show with your phone or mobile device

After scanning the QR code, you might see the application ask for permission to send you notifications. Please tap on Allow as the application will use random numbers in the form of a notification to verify you.

After hitting allow, you will need see the code shown on the computer and type it into the application

The computer should be displaying a code like below
 

Enter the code on the Microsoft Authenticator application and tap Yes

You should now see the notification was approved and can tap on Next

You have now completed setting up the Microsoft Authenticator application