Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Students Can Now Protect Their Office365 Accounts and Email with Two-Factor Authentication

Tuesday, October 30, 2018, By Christopher C. Finkle
Share
Information Technology ServicesITS

As part of ongoing efforts to protect digital identities and related University information, Information Technology Services (ITS) has enabled two-factor authentication (2FA) for student email and other Office 365 services.

smartphone on keyboard2FA is an added verification step during authentication that helps to prevent the unauthorized use of University NetIDs and passwords by ensuring that only the account owners themselves use their credentials on systems hardened with 2FA, in this case, Office 365. Typically, 2FA is described as “something you know and something you have” where the “something you know” is your username and password, and the “something you have” is often called a “second factor.”

Multiple second factors can be configured in Office 365, such as the confirmation of a push notification via the Microsoft Authenticator mobile application, a text message, a phone call, or a verification code.

“The login credentials of students, faculty and staff are targets for organized crime and hackers,” says Christopher Croad, Syracuse University’s information security officer. “Criminals use stolen NetIDs and passwords to harvest personally identifiable information from compromised accounts or sell them on the ‘dark web’ for financial gain, or use in gaining access to academic assets such as library resources or educational discounts on software and services. Two-factor authentication makes it difficult for anyone except the account owner to log into a resource that uses 2FA as part of its authentication mechanism.”

Students are encouraged to opt-in to Office 365 2FA protection at any time by visiting NetID.syr.edu and clicking Two-Factor Opt-in. All students will need to turn on 2FA in their Office 365 and email accounts by Feb. 12, 2019. Faculty and staff have been required for several months to set up 2FA in their Office 365 apps for additional security verification.

Important Recommendation: Anyone who plans to travel away from the main campus between now and the end of the academic year is strongly encouraged to opt-in to two-factor authentication as soon as possible. Unreliable or nonexistent internet or cell coverage prevents connectivity in some areas, domestic and abroad. Opting in now can enable continuing access to protected University accounts regardless of location.

Additional information and instructions are on the Microsoft Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Setup and Management page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: https://answers.syr.edu/x/2AAeAw.

ITS has chosen Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory system to provide “Additional Security Verification” to University Office 365 accounts. “We use Azure to manage the University’s Active Directory within the cloud environment,” says Eric Sedore, Associate Chief Information Officer for Core Infrastructure Services, “It already has two-factor and multifactor authentication tools built-in. We are leveraging our existing deployment, so it does not increase our costs to take advantage of the advanced functionality.”

Over the summer, ITS added applications and features to the Office 365 suite including One Drive cloud storage, Teams collaboration suite, One Note digital notebooks, and multi-user document editing. These new services are available to all active Syracuse University students, faculty and staff and are protected with 2FA. Office 365 enables enhanced collaboration and streamlined meeting, scheduling, and calendaring among members of the University community. Installation instructions and details about these and other Office 365 services are on the Office 365 @ Syracuse University page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: https://answers.syr.edu/x/DwDiAQ.

For assistance with Office 365 and two-factor authentication, students are invited to contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 and help@syr.edu. Faculty and staff should contact their IT support team.

 

  • Author

Christopher C. Finkle

  • Recent
  • School of Education Faculty Publish ‘Lesson Study With Mathematics and Science Preservice Teachers’
    Sunday, September 24, 2023, By Martin Walls
  • Water Main Break Near Bird Library to Be Repaired Monday
    Sunday, September 24, 2023, By News Staff
  • University Musicians, West Point Band to Perform Together This Weekend As Part of Events Around Military Appreciation Day
    Friday, September 22, 2023, By Christine Weber
  • Turning Young Enthusiasts Into Scientific Researchers
    Friday, September 22, 2023, By Wendy S. Loughlin
  • Languages Unlock Opportunities for English for Lawyers Alumna
    Thursday, September 21, 2023, By Hope Alvarez

More In Campus & Community

Academic Strategic Plan Launch Symposium Set for Sept. 26

Following a yearlong planning and development process involving hundreds of members of the campus community, “Leading With Distinction,” Syracuse University’s new academic strategic plan, was unveiled earlier this month. A launch symposium will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from…

Water Main Break Near Bird Library to Be Repaired Monday

After a water main break occurred near Bird Library Sunday afternoon, construction efforts to resolve the issue will start around 6 a.m. Monday. While no buildings will be impacted by the efforts to repair the break, there will be both construction…

University Musicians, West Point Band to Perform Together This Weekend As Part of Events Around Military Appreciation Day

The spirit of the Orange will unite with the precision of the United States Army’s oldest active-duty band, the West Point Band, for several events this weekend at the University, including a public concert with the University’s Wind Ensemble in…

Fall 2023 Career Week: Helping Students Achieve Professional Goals

“It’s never too early to begin taking action to achieve your unique professional goals,” is advice frequently shared by school, college and unit career teams in partnership with Syracuse University Career Services. Supporting students within their unique trajectory to career…

The State of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at Syracuse University With Mary Grace Almandrez

As the University’s vice president for diversity and inclusion, Mary Grace Almandrez was paying close attention to the Supreme Court rulings that were issued towards the end of the court’s term in June. In particular, Almandrez and her Office of…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2023 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.