Countdown to 2FA: 3 Weeks

Thank you to everyone who has enrolled in 2FA. Identity Services did not release figures for the past week in time for this update, but given the number of individuals who mentioned to me last week that they had enrolled, we are making steady progress. If you have not yet enrolled, you will receive a second email reminder from Identity Services this week.

Do New Employees Need to Enroll in 2FA?

Yes. 2FA is mandatory for all Penn State faculty and staff. New employees will be required to enroll in 2FA the first time they use WebAccess to log in to a protected service or resource. WebAccess will check the primary affiliation of the user and if they have not enrolled yet, they will get prompted to do so after providing their user name and password on the WebAccess (thumbprint) screen.

Using Google Voice as a 2FA Device

If you have established a Google Voice number and have Gmail, you can use the Voice number as a backup number for Duo. Register the number with 2FA/Duo as a landline. Then for those times when you don’t have a second physical factor, you can have Duo call your Google Voice number. Note that you must have Gmail open for the call to show up. The nice thing about using Google Voice as a 2FA authentication method is that you do not need to have a second physical device on hand, but can access the call through your computer.

Per the Google Voice FAQ, you can use many of Google Voice’s features for free, including making most calls to the U.S. and Canada. However, using some features of Google Voice may impact your phone bill so be sure to read the Google Voice FAQ. Please note that this is not an official endorsement of Google Voice and it is up to you to verify rates, privacy and other terms. Thanks to Charlie Morris in I-Tech for this hint.

Where Can I get Help?

I-Tech has scheduled one hour drop-in sessions for every Friday through May 6. The sessions are at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the I-Tech Training Room on April 22, 29 and May 6; registration is not required. Bring your Penn State ID with you (or jot down the last four digits of your nine-digit Penn State ID) – you will need this information to enroll. If you cannot make these session, but would like help enrolling, contact Ryan Johnson (rxj15@psu.edu) to arrange a one-on-one session.

For instructions, enrollment tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, visit Get2FA.psu.edu. You can also refer to I-Tech’s 2FA FAQ for answers to your questions. And if you bump into a problem, submit a Service Desk request and we’ll provide assistance.

– Submitted by Dace Freivalds, I-Tech