What is Okta?

 

Okta is a company that provides a service for our FC accounts. You probably have accounts with Google, Facebook, Amazon, etc. Most of the time they will encourage you to set up a 2FA (Two Factor Authentication). Meaning that once you sign in with your username and password you will then get a code to your email or phone, or you may use an authentication app like Google Authenticator or Authy. This is exactly what we are doing with Okta. Okta adds another layer of security to your FC account by having you use some form of 2FA when you log in. Whether that is a code texted to your phone or using the Okta authentication app. That way it is almost impossible for your FC account to be compromised by anyone but you!

 

Another great utility of Okta is SSO (Single Sign-On). With SSO you can sign into one app, like your FC email, and then you can access another service like GrizLink, and Okta will pass your account login from one site to another. Making the need for you to sign in each time a thing of the past!

 

How to set up your Okta profile

 

When you are new to campus and try to sign in to any FC app for the first time you will be prompted to set up your Okta profile. This will only happen once and is very easy to set up.

 

Choosing and 2FA authentication method

 

• Okta Verify

  • This is the preferred method. You will download the Okta verify app on your phone and then follow the instructions on setting it up. The nice thing about the Okta Verify app that none of the other options have is that you can have your phone show a push notification that you can simply click "Allow" or "Don't Allow" to verify your login, instead of a code to type in manually.

• Google Authenticator
  • This option allows you to use the Google Authenticator App or any other Authentication app like Authy to have a code that will reset every few seconds that you can enter manually when you attempt to log in.
• SMS
  • This option will text a login code to your phone that you will then enter manually when you attempt to log in.

 

Once you have chosen the 2FA option you want and have set it up the next page will ask you to set up a security question. This is just a way for you to get into your Okta profile in case you need to reset your password or do not have your 2FA method with you. You can also choose a custom question at the bottom of the list.

 

Below is a section to input your phone number. This is another backup method you can add. This can be a landline like an office phone or a cell phone.

 

Finally, the last section is choosing a security image. The image you choose will show up when you sign in to a new session from Okta. This is just a way you can know it is Okta trying to sign you in. 

 

After that congratulations! You have completed your Okta profile. From here you should be logged in to whatever app or service you were trying to originally use. Now anytime you try to login to an FC app or service from a new device you will have to use a 2FA method. 

 

As always if you run into any issues please let us know!

 

• Call us at (317) 738-8148
• Submit a ticket at service.franklincollege.edu
• or email us at [email protected]