Are SMS codes still good enough for MFA in 2026?

Solvedidentitymfasecurity-awareness16 replies · 295 views · started
Accepted solution by Anika Adler — phishing resistant methods (FIDO2 security keys, platform passkeys, certificate based auth) bind authentication to teh real site, sooo a…
  1. Curious how others handled the move away from SMS codes at a place like a hospital IT department. Who got hardware keys, who stayed on app-based approvals, and how did you handle lost devices?

    I'm also curious about what happens when someone loses their phone or key on a Friday evening. How do u handle recovery without creating a backdoor that attackers could abuse?

    thinking

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  2. hmmm do your users mostly have company phones or personal phones??

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  3. ahh right mostly personal phones... some people refuse to install any work app at a hospital IT department. hope thats enough info 😅

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  4. yeahhh pair MFA with conditional access: require compliant or managed devices for sensitive apps, block legacy authentication, and alert on many denied pushes in a short time.

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  5. have u checked ur codes settings? mine were reset after an update. ok this thread just saved my weekend worked for me anyway 🤷

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  6. oof SMS is better than no MFA, but its vulnerable to SIM swapping and real-time phishing, treat it as a fallback, not teh primary method. lmk how it goes

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  7. ahh classic plan recovery before rollout: at least two registered methods per user, a verified identity process at the helpdesk, and temporary access pasess instead of just disable MFA for a day.

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  8. yeahhh number matching plus showing app and location in teh push prompt dramatically reduces blind apprvoals. Most major identity providers support it; enable it before considering anything more expensive.

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  9. Accepted solution

    phishing-resistant methods (FIDO2 security keys, platform passkeys, certificate-based auth) bind authentication to teh real site, sooo a proxy phishing page cant relay it... start with admins and finance, then expand. hope that helps :)

    lol

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  10. @regexprobe what did u end up doing in teh end ?

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  11. which version are you on? lmao make a backup before u touch the cable, learned that teh hard way ?

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  12. oh ive been there lol pro tip: write down what u change. i didnt and had to redo hospital from scratch worked for me anyway 🤷

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  13. hardware keys get lost constantly in some environments. app-based number matching may be the better default for a hospital IT department. but hey ymmv

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  14. @regexprobe dude rolling out passkeys in phases, starting with IT. So far fewer complaints than with SMS codes. seriously made my day 😭🙏

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