Authenticator apps

Owned by Lars Olav Velle (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jun 16, 2020
2 min read

Overview

This article shows how end users enrol in two-factor enrolment using a smart phone authenticator app . We assume that the user is logging in to Jira with password authentication as the primary factor. Users logging in with SAML or Kerberos on other Atlassian applications can expect a very similar user experience.

The examples shown here assume that an administrator has already added a multifactor policy which requires that users enrol in extra verification. The details on how policies may be configured is out of scope for this article.

Enrolment

When Windows users are required to enrol in extra verification, they will see a screen informing them that enrolment is required. Users then choose which kind of second factor to register:

  • Windows Hello, a platform authenticator in FIDO terminology (in this case disabled because the user has not registered)
  • A security key, typically attached to their device via USB or NFC 
  • A legacy security key which does not support user verification with PIN or fingerprint
  • A one-time code app on their phone

The user selects to set up extra verification using an app on their phone.

Users are then asked to choose among some commonly available authenticator apps for iOS and Android:

After selecting the preferred app and phone type, the user is given a link to download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The next page shows a QR code which the user scans using their authenticator app. The user then enters the six-digit code to verify that the QR code was scanned correctly.

The final step in the registration process lists the different ways the user may use the additional verification factor:

Use case summary

The final step in the registration process lists the different ways the user may use the additional verification factor:

See it in action

See how enrolment works from an end user perspective using a phone authenticator app. 

Next steps