Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) methods changing in 2025

Information Technology Services (ITS) has been notified by WSU’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) vendor that SMS (texting) and Voice Call options for MFA will no longer be available to us after our contract renewal in June 2025.

Although SMS is WSU’s most used security method due to the familiarity this option offers, it poses significant cybersecurity risks as verification codes sent via SMS messages cannot be encrypted and are easily susceptible to theft, interception, or spoofing by cyber attackers.

View a brief list of news articles covering recent security problems with SMS on the ITS website.

At this time, ITS encourages all WSU users to adopt the Okta Verify mobile app as their primary security method. With a single tap of a push notification, Okta Verify allows you to complete MFA within seconds. Instructions for enabling Okta Verify are available in this WSU Knowledge Base article.

Please visit the WSU ITS website to learn more about:

  • Okta Verify and the app’s trusted reliability for identity verification
  • Reliability concerns associated with SMS
  • Security methods that will continue to be supported and available following any the SMS or Voice Call changes
  • And more…

ITS will share additional updates regarding any MFA changes with the WSU community over the coming year.

Please contact Crimson Service Desk for assistance updating your security method settings.

The Notices and Announcements section is provided as a service to the WSU community for sharing events such as lectures, trainings, and other highly transactional types of information related to the university experience. Information provided and opinions expressed may not reflect the understanding or opinion of WSU. Accuracy of the information presented is the responsibility of those who submitted it. The self-uploaded posts are reviewed for compliance with state statutes and ethics guidelines but are not edited for spelling, grammar, or clarity.

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