General Question

LostInParadise's avatar

Could someone help me with use of my mobile phone?

Asked by LostInParadise (32215points) April 21st, 2021

I make very little use of my mobile phone, mostly for calling out in case of emergency. At work we were told we have to set up MFA (mutlifactor authentication). We are given two options. We can either get it from an App store or we can scan a QR code. How do I do these things? Is a scan the same as taking a picture with the camera? Please pardon my ignorance regarding mobile phones.

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8 Answers

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hello321's avatar

I use 2FA on everything I can (gmail, Amazon, etc). There are a couple of options with 2FA, but it sounds like you want to use an app. Are you using Android or an iPhone. If you use Android, just download an app like Authy or Google Authenticator and add your account (gmail, Amazon, your bank or whatever). It will give you the option to scan a QR code when setting it up.

Then when you want to login, you need to enter an additional piece of information that makes it far more secure. Your bank/gmail or whatever will prompt you for a security key. That can be obtained by launching your authenticator app that you installed and configured above. You launch Authy and choose Amazon (for example) and it gives you a security code to key in.

Note: Think of 2FA as one of those RSA security keys from back in the day. Every 60 seconds, it would refresh the code and allow you to login to your VPN or whatever it was you were using. Authenticator apps on your phone do the same thing. They refresh every 30/60 seconds.

Also – DM me if you run into issues.

flutherother's avatar

A scan is different from taking a picture. You can download a QR Code Reader from your app store. You will then be able to scan the QR code.

janbb's avatar

@flutherother The QR codes i am coming across now you seem to be able to just point your phone’s camera at and they will read it. You just don’t snap a picture of it. That is how most of the restaurant menus are these days around here.

@hello321 I suspect most of that was unintelligible to the OP, as it was to me. But he can ask you for help translating it if need be.

hello321's avatar

@flutherother – He shouldn’t download a QR code reader. The QR code is only needed for the setup. It’s a one-time thing (per site/app), and it’s built into the authenticator app.

hello321's avatar

Ok. An attempt at making this even more simple.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an additional secure step to your logins. Where right now you might login to a website or app using your username/password, you’ll be adding a security code as well.

Install a 2FA app:

Android:
Authy
Google Authenticator

iPhone:
Authy
Google Authenticator

The one time setup (for Amazon, for example):

1. Go to Amazon.com -> Account -> Login & Security -> Two-Step Verification (2SV) Settings
2. Walk through directions

Every app/site will walk you through this, and they might be somewhat different. But the concept is the same. You need to add an account in Authy (or Google Authenticator) when it’s time to scan the QR code. Menu -> add account.

Now that you have it set up, you have an account in Authy for Amazon that provides a new 6-digit security code for Amazon that refreshes every 30 seconds.

When you go to login to Amazon, it will ask for your username/email and password first. Then it will ask you for your 2FA code. You open Authy and use that code.

Hope that helps.

KNOWITALL's avatar

It’s easy, go to Playstore, dowload the app, scan QR and it syncs. Just did mine last week for my android.

KRD's avatar

Go to the app store and look up scan QR and then hit install.

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