General FAQ for MFA

Q1. Who can use MFA?

A1. Starting from 2023, all CityUHK staff and student accounts will be protected by MFA.
The University does not provide the MFA for the alumni accounts.

Q2. What systems will be required to log on with MFA?

A2. Please refer to the CityUHK MFA page.

Q3. When will you be asked to log on with MFA?

A3. Please refer to the CityUHK MFA page.

Q4. What MFA methods are supported?

A4. For staff, Okta Verify (a mobile app) and SMS are the default options. For students, Okta Verify is required.

Q5. If you can't get through your MFA and need to login to the system in a hurry, what can you do?

A5. You can visit the IT Service Desk to request for suspending MFA for your account for one day.

Q6. What platform does Okta Verify support?

A6. Okta Verify supports the most recent major releases of specific operating system platforms and web browser combinations. Please refer to this link for the latest information.
Time-sync in your mobile device is required for Okta Verify to work.

Q7. How can you use MFA in an environment where both mobile network and WIFI are unavailable?

A7. Okta Verify (6-digit code mode) is a time-based MFA methods which don't need network access.

Q8. Do I need to pay when SMS codes are sent to me?

A8. No, the costs will not be charged to you, but we recommend users to use Okta Verify push notification rather than SMS as it's more secure and convenient.

Q9. How to use MFA when you are travelling overseas?

A9. When there is a mobile network or WIFI access, Okta Verify will work in the same way as you are in HK.

Q10. What do I have to do if I forget to bring my mobile phone to the campus or working location?

A10. If you forget to bring a mobile phone to the campus or working location, you can use the Service Portal self-service function to temporarily disable your MFA for that day. Alternatively, you can contact the IT Service Desk for help. The support staff will ask you to prove your identity with your staff/student ID card and then temporarily disable the MFA for your account for that day.

Q11. What do I have to do when I have a new phone?

A11. Okta Verify can be registered on multiple mobile phones. Please refer to this link for the instruction to install Okta Verify on another phone. You can remove the registration for the old phone afterwards.

Q12. My mobile phone can't access Google Play, how can I download and install Okta Verify?

A12. You can download it from this link. After installing it, please follow the staff or student user guides to do the setup.

Q13. Does MFA work in China?

A13. When you are in China and using iPhone, you can download and install Okta Verify from the Apple App Store.
Users using Android/Harmony have to download the setup apk file from this link. Other than this, user experience is same as HK.

Q14. How to clear remembered MFA sessions?

A14. Log on to SSO home page (link: https://auth.cityu.edu.hk). Pull down the menu on the top right corner, choose "Settings". Find the "End All Sessions" and then click the "Sign out" button.

 

IT.ServiceDesk@cityu.edu.hk