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Enhanced security measures brings two factor authentication to UH

In early August, students received emails regarding enhanced security measures being taken for the AccessUH portal. After consulting with the Student Government Association, the University Information Technology office introduced Two Factor Authentication, or 2FA, to AccessUH. | Lino Sandil/The Cougar

In early August, students received emails regarding enhanced security measures being taken for the AccessUH portal. After consulting with the Student Government Association, the University Information Technology office introduced Two Factor Authentication, or 2FA, to AccessUH. | Lino Sandil/The Cougar

Students who logged on to AccessUH after Aug. 17 were greeted with a new message before they could reach the page and account they desired. A second security measure was implemented called Two Factor Authentication. 

In early August, students received emails regarding enhanced security measures being taken for the AccessUH portal. After consulting with the Student Government Association, the University Information Technology office introduced Two Factor Authentication, or 2FA, to AccessUH.

“(2FA is) an additional layer of authentication beyond a username and password,” according to the UIT website.

UH will use Duo Mobile for authentication, which has also been used by companies like Facebook, Yelp, Toyota and Eventbrite.

The implementation of this system can be seen as more vital now than ever before as a majority of UH students will be taking their classes online this year. 

Students weren’t necessarily happy with the decision to add a 2FA system, as seen on Twitter when the announcement met the social media site.

Before this program came to be, UIT reached out to SGA and grasped what student reaction to this program could be.

“We did make it clear that students don’t like having to download new apps,” SGA Chief of Staff Sterling White said.

There is an alternative way to bypass downloading the app, according to SGA. When setting up 2FA, students would have to state that they have neither an Android or Apple device, which will then prompt text messages instead of having to download the app.

The app will allow students to chose which method they chose to have push notifications in order to finish the log in process for AccessUH and bypass the added security measures for this semester.

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