Information Technology Services (ITS)

Multifactor Authentication

Due to advances in Internet technologies, the security around authentication is now a very important challenge for USP.

USP assets are at risk against people trying to impersonate users and stealing information elevating the need for additional security in authentication. Currently, authentication with your USP username and password is used to access ICT services to identify whether a person is a genuine USP user or not.

USP is introducing multi factor authentication (MFA) as an additional piece of information and process to authenticate and verify the identity of a user requesting access to USP ICT environments that are contain important USP assets and services. The goal of MFA within USP’s online and mobile space, is to reduce instances of online fraud & identity theft by using multi factor to identify a user.

Staff are requested to learn about Multi factor authentication through the following video.

Specific to USP, IT Services has introduced multi-factor authentication via a verification application that will be required to be installed on staff and student mobile phones.

Depending on which phone you have, please visit the following applications on your mobile phone:

  1. IOS Apple Store
  2. Android PlayStore

The approved applications to install are listed below with guides to assist with your installations:

Upon attempting to access an online application (e.g. Moodle) that requires authentication, the following authentication process is initiated:

  1. Staff and students will be presented with a verification number on their computer
  2. They will need to enter this number when prompted by their mobile phone
  3. An alert will appear on the verification application on the staff and student mobile phone that an attempt has been made to access using their USP account and to verify the access by entering the displayed number on their computer
  4. Once the number is entered successfully, the authentication is verified successfully and access is  allowed to the application
  5. All other applications that require authentication will then be allowed without verification

USP has started implementing a phased rollout of MFA to the following group of users:

  1. All USP users who have privileged access including application and systems administrators
  2. All staff and students

Users requiring further information on MFA should contact the USP Contact Center at 3232117 or email contactus@usp.ac.fj