Multi-factor authentication for students
Concordia uses multi-factor authentication (MFA) to help keep the digital assets, information and user identities of our community safe.
What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
In a nutshell, MFA means using something besides a single username and password to access your account. Whenever you sign into your Concordia account, you are prompted to provide a second factor after providing your username and password.
Your second factor is a code generated by the Microsoft Authenticator app. The Microsoft Authenticator app provides push notifications to your mobile device at sign in and can be downloaded to your mobile device for free from Google Play or Apple Store. For detailed instructions on setting up MFA, please see instructions below.
Should you wish to use an alternative MFA method to sign into your accounts, you can choose to have SMS messages sent to your mobile phone or to receive an automated voice phone call to provide you with a second factor to access your accounts. Please note that these options are not ideal if you plan to travel.
Which accounts require MFA?
- Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive.
- Student Information System (SIS)
- Moodle
- Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- eConcordia
Set up multi-factor authentication (MFA)
To set up MFA, visit the Microsoft account security sign-in page and add your authentication methods.
We strongly recommend setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app as your primary authentication method and adding one or more additional methods as backups. Having multiple authentication methods helps ensure you can access your account if your preferred method is unavailable, such as when you are travelling, do not have access to your device, or cannot connect to the internet.
To learn how to set up MFA using the Microsoft Authenticator app, select your mobile device type below and follow the instructions:
What should I do if:
First setup MFA on your new phone/tablet before relinquishing possession of your old phone/tablet. MFA can be set up on multiple devices at the same time.
Once your new device is configured, erase the contents of your old device if it is being discarded.
If this is not possible, please contact the Service Desk by email at help@concordia.ca or by phone at 514-848-2424, ext. 7613.
Don’t worry, your account is safe. A phone/tablet alone is not enough to log into your account. Please contact the Service Desk by email at help@concordia.ca or by phone at 514-848-2424, ext. 7613.
If you were the victim of theft while on campus, please report the incident to Campus Security & Emergency Services at 514-848-3717. They are available 24/7.
If you do not have a cellphone, please contact our Service Desk for assistance with setting up MFA through alternative methods. You can reach us at help@concordia.ca or dial 514-848-2424, ext. 7613.