What is 2 Factor Authentication

When talking about security & access control, there are 3 criteria (or factors) that can be used to identify yourself.

The most common is something you know - like a password or a pin number. It could also be something you possess like a bank card, a mobile phone or an encrypted usb key. Or it could be something you are - something unique to you - like a finger print or your iris pattern.

2 Factor Authentication simply means using at least two of these factors to verify your identity. It’s not a new concept - it’s in play every time you use an ATM - you use something you possess (the bank card), plus something you know (your PIN), but the advantage from a security perspective is that even if someone has your username and password, they still can’t gain access to your account without also having one of the additional factors in their possession, which is very unlikely.

The Infinity Hub supports 2FA, letting you add an additional layer of security to your installation. 2FA is also known as 2 Step Verification.

How does 2FA work in the Hub

Infinity’s 2FA implementation uses verification codes sent by SMS. Simply register your mobile phone, we’ll send you a verification code which you can then enter when prompted at the login screen. You can add additional devices to help you to access the Hub in the event that you forget your phone.

You can add and remove devices and also disable 2FA should you wish.

Enabling 2FA

You can enable 2FA on your user account in the Hub. Navigate to the Hub, click on your avatar on the top right hand corner of the page and click on the My Profile menu option. This will open the My Profile page from within the Settings section of the Hub. Simply click Security from the left hand navigation to open the 2 Step Verification Page.

• Setting up 2-step verification is quick and easy. You simply need to add a device and then enter the 6 digit verification code that is sent to that device.

• Click on the yellow Enable 2-step verification button to get started, as shown above.

• Next enter the phone number you want to use to receive the verification codes. It must be in E.164 format, eg include the country code prefixed by a +, eg +1 for US, +44 for UK, +33 for France, +49 for Germany etc.

• Then give the device a name so you can easily identify it. This will make it easy for you to manage your devices if you add more in the future.

• Click Send Code to progress

• You should then receive a 6 digit verification code from Infinity on the device that you have just added. Simply enter the code in the Hub and click Confirm, as shown below.

• In the event that you did not receive a code, simply click Send new code and we will send you another.

• If you change your mind and wish to stop the process, simply click Cancel Setup

• After entering the code you will see a notification to confirm that 2 step verification is enabled and you will see a list of your devices, as shown below.

• Notice that as this is the first device you have added it is now your primary device. You can also see that this device has been verified (you have requested, received & successfully entered a verification code).

• You can add another device if you wish, or you may disable 2-step verification. You will need to disable 2-step verification if you wish to delete your primary device.

• You can now continue to use the Hub as usual. The next time you logout and then log back in, Infinity will send a new code to your device which you will need to enter before you can access the Hub.

An example of the verification screen is shown below.

Adding & Removing Devices

• Once you have enabled 2FA you can add another device. This is useful for backup and recovery in the event that you forget your primary device or it is lost or stolen. Whilst not everyone has multiple devices you might like to use a colleague’s device.

• From the Security page click Add another device and repeat the steps you took for your primary device; add the number in E.164 format, give the device a name, and then enter the code that we send you to verify that device.

• You will then be taken back to the Security page where you will see an updated summary of your devices.

• As you can see in the screengrab above, you now have the option to make the new device the primary device. Simply click the Make Primary button to do so.

• You can also delete the newly added device (should you need to), you can also disable 2-step verification.

• Again, you will need to disable 2-step verification before you can delete your primary device.

• You can continue to add devices as required.

• In the event that you add a new device but do not verify it (by successfully entering the verification code sent to the device), it will appear in your device list as an unverified device, as shown below.

• Simply click Resend Code to send another code to that device. Enter it on the next screen to complete the verification process for that device.