Microsoft is gearing up to make Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) available directly in the Outlook app for many Office 365 business users.
MFA is an important tool for protecting your internet accounts from cyber criminals. Every time you enter into an account, it generates a second, one-time passcode. It is typically sent to an authenticator app on your phone, which you must first download and install.
Security codes can also be sent via SMS text message, phone call, or a special USB key that you insert into your computer.
Using a biometric login, such as your fingerprint or face ID, can often speed up the procedure. It’s a small inconvenience, but the security it provides far outweighs the couple of seconds it takes to access your account.
Microsoft, on the other hand, is sceptical of those additional seconds. If the digital giant can save you that time, it will. That is why it is attempting to simplify MFA for Microsoft 365 corporate accounts.
It’s implementing an enhancement by integrating MFA directly into the Outlook app through a feature dubbed Authenticator Lite. Up until now, it has been necessary to use a separate authenticator app or to send login codes.
There is currently no news for those of us who want quicker authentication on our personal computers. We’ll keep you updated if Microsoft announces plans to make this feature accessible on more hardware or operating systems.
If you aren’t already using MFA for your apps and online accounts, we suggest that you do so as soon as possible. Its added security protects against the overwhelming majority of today’s cyber threats.
Get in touch for more information on implementing MFA or making the most out of Microsoft 365.