Hacker News Reader

Comment by at-fates-hands | Hacker News Reader

I tried this for a bunch of work apps that require 2FA. They pushed back hard enough where I was threatened with getting written up. I relented and installed MS Authenticator on my personal phone.

I'm still bitter about the intrusion of work stuff on my personal phone.

View on HN

I absolutely hate Microsoft authenticator. Why does it need its own app? Google Authenticator, Auth Apple Passwords, freaking Aegis, everything works with TOTP and piece of shit Microsoft has to go off and do its own thing like that nonsense Duo.

You can actually use an alternative authenticator app for Microsoft logins. I use Aegis on my phone for it.

They don't make it clear in the messaging during the sign-up flow, which just says Microsoft Authenticator everywhere. But when you proceed through the steps to get a TOTP code for Microsoft Authenticator, there's a step with a link to something like "I want to use an another authenticor app", which presents a QR code for any generic TOTP app.

I've done this as well. My employers setup guide was super long winded and tried hard to suggest MS Authenticator was the only one that would work without outright saying it.

However, I've gathered that this is a setting that is up to the organization so your YMMV. Since some employees work at secure sites without wifi/mobile connections they aren't able to turn off TOTP.

Have you considered https://authenticator.cc/ ?

I realize it is amusing to even consider offloading OTP generation to a web browser extension however, if `$work` doesn’t want to provide you with the correct hardware (e.g. Yubikey, NitroKey, etc.) there are boundary-respecting alternatives

No one tells you because they want you to use their app but most can be replaced by floss apps running on your laptop.

I don’t know if this would work for you, but I’m personally using 1Password on my laptop to generate 2FA codes. It worked even on Microsoft services, after clicking through lots of alternative settings, although some employers might disable that if they insist on push 2FA not just TOTP.

If this happens to me I'm buying the cheapest android I can find and just attaching it to my work laptop with adhesive.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com