Microsoft Authenticator

Add a dual authentication system to protect access to your Microsoft services and your other accounts with the Microsoft Authenticator application.

Microsoft's two-step verification system

Nowadays it is essential to protect our devices and everything in them: our accounts, emails, social networks, bank details, etc. All this information can fall into the wrong hands if we overlook a security vulnerability. A good way to strengthen this security is to use two-step verification. In addition to using a password system, the user must log in using a second method, such as a fingerprint, face recognition or a PIN code.

Microsoft Authenticator is the Internet giant's "2FA" service that allows users to add this security system on their Microsoft account devices such as PCs and tablets, as well as on third-party service accounts such as LinkedIn, Amazon, GitHub, Google, Dropbox or Facebook.

How does Microsoft Authenticator work?

After using the application for the first time and adding the different accounts and services that we want to keep protected, the user can access his PC without a password, accepting the notification that will be skipped on his Android smartphone. If you want to access a protected service with the same smartphone, you must also use verification. So if a third party got the user's password, they would never be able to access the different accounts, no matter what the device.

Depending on the type of access between the devices and the protection required, the user can resort to the following methods:

• One-time passwords (OTP codes) that reach the device and expire after 30 seconds.
• Two-factor authentication (TFA) through notifications on the smartphone.
• Double verification or 2FA, which requires the use of a fingerprint, facial recognition or PIN code in addition to the usual password.

Requirements and further information:

• Minimum operating system requirements: Android 6.0.