2FA assurance levels
A higher degree of assurance is offered by any 2FA protection than a static password alone provides. Within the realm of 2FA options, some methods have a higher degree of protection than others. The security level threshold acceptable for a given 2FA protected application will vary with the risk posed by that application. As such, for applications that require a sufficiently high assurance level, less secure 2FA options will not be allowed.
York University has elected to use the more secure Duo 2FA authentication methods. Passcode via Text Message and Phone call methods are only available upon request.
2FA Criteria Comparison & Assurance Levels
| 2FA authentication method | Assurance level | Self-serve 2FA Setup? | Phone number required? | Cellular network connection required? | Wi-Fi connection required? |
| Duo Mobile App | High | Yes | No | No | No (Only for 2FA Setup) |
| Duo Hardware token | Moderate-High | No | No | No | No |
| Text Message | Low | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Phone Call/Landline | Low | Yes | Yes | Yes (or landline) | No |
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