The email service application Microsoft Outlook for iOS It is android received a new authenticator that promises to improve all security while using the platform. The feature is called Authenticator Lite and was initially announced in March.
As Neowin pointed out, the upgrade to Outlook on iOS and Android means users won’t need to download the Microsoft Authenticator app standalone to get multi-factor authentication security for the email service.
Instead, when the user launches the Outlook app after the latest update, they will be prompted to register their device as MFA protected, without the need to confirm your identity with a text message or a phone number.
When that happens, people who need to sign in to the app won’t have to. Instead, they’ll get a push notification from the Outlook app itself. They will then be asked to enter the number sent by the notification.
The app can also offer another level of security. In addition to the number prompt, it may ask the user for biometric or pin verification if these methods are already used on the smartphone in question.
In a blog post, Microsoft said:
According to research done by Microsoft, multi-factor authentications completed via push notifications in the Microsoft Authenticator app are 71% less likely to be compromised than those completed via SMS codes. Therefore, we strongly recommend that your users move away from phone transports for authentication and use more secure methods such as push notifications. Authenticator Lite (in Outlook) expands the opportunity to convert users by bringing the enhanced security of push notifications to devices that haven’t yet downloaded the Microsoft Authenticator App.
