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Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for portal customers

1. In a nutshell

When a portal customer signs in to your portal, they must verify their identity using their username and password. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires your portal customers to additionally verify themselves via configured OTP authenticators while signing in. This enhances security by ensuring that only authorized users can access your portal, even if their passwords are compromised.

2. Availability

3. Overview

MFA provides an added security layer by requiring additional authentication factors, thereby preventing unauthorized access and allowing multiple authentication methods for convenience.
Once MFA has enabled for the required portal in your Creator account, portal users will need to verify their identity each time they sign in to their portal applications to ensure that their account isn't accessed by unknown users. This verificationcan be done using an OTP Authenticator.
There are two ways in which you can set up MFA for your account:

  • Admin-enforced: If you are an app admin/developer, you can enable MFA for portal customers in your respective portals. Learn how
  • Self-configured : Portal customers have the option to setup MFA on their own to secure their account, if their app admin or developer hasn't enabled it already. Learn how

4. Setting up MFA

4.1 Flowchart

4.2 How to enable MFA for portal customers (admin-enforced)

As an app admin or developer, you can enable MFA for your portal customers in the Portal Settings slider by following the below steps.

  1. Click the Customer Portal option under the Users and Control section in the Settings page. The customer portal configured for your application will be displayed.

    Note: If you haven't created any portal, you can check this page to know how to create one.
  2. Click the Settings button that appears towards the top right side of the screen.

  3. The Customer Portal Settings slider will appear from the right. Click Enable beside Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for portal customers in this slider.

    Note:

    • This option will be disabled by default.
    • You won't be able to enable MFA if you've configured SAML for your portal.

  4. Click Save to save your portal settings.
Info: You can also disable MFA by clicking Disable beside the Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for portal customers option. Please note that disabling MFA removes the extra layer of security, making your portals more vulnerable to unauthorized access.

4.2.1 Setup authenticator and sign in

Note:

  • This section is for portal customers.
  • As a prerequisite, an authenticator app (of your choice) is required and should be downloaded on your device to enable MFA for your portal customers.

Now that the admin or developer has enabled MFA for your portal, as a portal customer, all your future sign-ins will require authentication via an OTP Authenticator. 

Info: OTP authenticators are mobile applications that can be used to set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) by generating Time based OTPs for authenticating users for your account. These applications generate one-time passwords (OTPs) that change for every 'n' seconds. Some of the prominent OTP authenticator apps are Authy, Microsoft Authenticator, and Google Authenticator. We also have our in-house authenticator app called Zoho OneAuth. 

As a portal customer, follow the below steps to sign in and authenticate yourself via the configured OTP authenticator.

  1. Access your portal login page and enter your email address, then click Next.
  2. In the password field, type in your password, and click Sign In.
  3. A screen prompt to configure OTP Authenticator MFA will appear. Click Configure beneath the OTP Authenticator card.
  4. The Set up OTP Authenticator pop up will appear, in which a QR code and an alphanumeric code will be shown. Click Next after performing either of the following.
    • To register using a QR code, use the authenticator app (in your mobile) to scan the QR code displayed on the screen.
    • To register manually, enter the alphanumeric code displayed on the screen into the authenticator app on your device.

  5. An OTP will be generated on your app. Click Verify after entering this OTP in the input box within OTP Authenticator card.

    Info:In the next screen,

    • You can choose to change the configuration and choose a different authenticator in the next screen by clicking the Change Configuration button. Click Yes, Proceed in the popup that appears, and repeat steps 4 & 5.
    • You can also delete the configured authenticator in the next screen by clicking the Delete Configuration button. Click Yes, Delete in the popup that appears, and you'll be taken to step 4 to configure a new authenticator.
  6. Click Enable MFA, once you've verified the code and configured the OTP authenticator.

  7. Click Generate Backup Codes in the popup that appears.

    Info: It is recommended to generate backup verification codes. These codes will help you recover your account if you lose access to your mobile number and can't sign in. Learn more
  8. Download or copy and paste the codes someplace where you can easily recover them when required.
  9. Click Continue to Sign In. You'll be taken to your portal application's Homepage.

4.3 How can portal customers self-configure MFA?

If the admin or developer hasn't enabled MFA for your portal, you can configure it on your own. See the steps below to get started.

  1. After you sign-in to the portal, click My Account from either the top right or bottom left corner, depending on your theme settings.
  2. Click on Multi-Factor Authentication in the left-pane. Multiple MFA modes will be shown.
  3. Click Set up Now beneath the OTP Authenticator card.
  4. The Set up OTP Authenticator pop up will appear, where a QR code and an alphanumeric code will be shown. Click Next after performing either of the following.
    • To register using a QR code, use the authenticator app (in your mobile) to scan the QR code displayed on the screen.
    • To register manually, enter the alphanumeric code displayed on the screen into the authenticator app on your device.
  5. An OTP will be generated on your app. Click Verify after entering this OTP into the Enter OTP input box to complete the MFA configuration.

You can choose to change the configurated authenticator and choose a different one by following the below steps.

  1. Go to My Account and click Multi-Factor Authentication in the left pane.
  2. Click Change Configuration in the OTP Authenticator card. The Set up OTP Authenticator pop up will appear.

     
  3. Repeat steps 4-5 in the above section to choose another authenticator.

You can also delete your existing configured authenticator by following the below steps.

  1. Hover on the OTP Authenticator card and click the delete icon beside the configured authenticator.
  2. Click Continue in the Delete MFA Mode pop up to delete the configuration.

Note:

  • You cannot delete your existing authenticator app if MFA for your portal account has been enabled by your app admin.
  • After deleting your existing authenticator, you need to choose a different authenticator by following the steps in this section.

4.3.1 Steps for sign-in as a portal customer

  1. In the portal customer Sign In screen, enter your email address and click Next.
  2. In the password field, type in the password, and click Sign In.
  3. A screen prompt to enter time-based(TOTP) will appear. Enter the TOTP generated on your mobile authenticator app and then click Verify to sign in to your portal account.

6. Related topics

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