Using TOTP Codes with other extensions

Introduction

Northeast Community College makes efforts to provide accurate documentation regarding account access, including demonstrating that third party applications which are standards compliant can be used to grant access to accounts. While this article demonstrates one method to use a third party application for TOTP codes, others which comply with the relevant industry standards may be used. This article only is provided as an example to demonstrate conceptual applications.

A Microsoft PowerPoint presentation has been attached to this article. You may download it in the "Attachments" section on this page which is lower and to the right of this article.

Using a third party TOTP provider from a web browser extension

Many web browser extensions which provide TOTP codes are available for use across the internet. Your decision to pick one is entirely dependent on your own preferences and tolerances towards those entities who make such applications. If you, personally, decide to use such an application, you assume the responsibility for vetting the practices and behaviors relevant to the application, regardless of the content of this article. Additionally, Northeast Community College advocates users secure their devices, which may use this software, with a strong method (or series of methods) for controlling access to their devices such as, but not limited to, a username and strong password different from your Northeast.edu main credentials, PIN, finger-swiping pattern, certificate based authentication, proximity based radio-communication, hardware authentication device, or biometric recognition.

If you decide to use authenticator.cc as an application to access TOTP codes, these instructions serve as a general guide to link codes from a tenant in Microsoft's identity platform.

  1. Open the website www.authenticator.cc

    • You must use Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge to use this software.

  2. Install the software using the blue button, which will take you to an official site to start the installation.

  3. In your browser settings, open the settings of the plug-in software to always show the icon in the browser window. The authenticator.cc website shows pictures on how to do this.

https://authenticator.cc/docs/en/quickstart

Stop. At this point your authenticator application is set up and currently has no associated codes.

Now you need to set up code access in your Northeast.edu account.

  1. Open the website myaccount.microsoft.com

  1. Sign in with your Northeast.edu email address

  1. Use your Northeast.edu password

  1. If you’re now being prompted for a new sign-in method, you’ll want to use the option that says “I want to use a different authenticator app.”

  1. Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

    Use the “Authenticator: 2FA Client” software to scan the QR code that shows

  1. Review the instructions for the software at Add Your First Account | Authenticator

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

  1. Complete the test by entering the code showing in your authenticator application.

  1. The code should now be set up and ready for use in the future.

The software used in this guide is provided by a 3rd party provider. Any decision to use such software is up to the evaluation of the end user pertinent to their own needs and the user's responsible evaluation. Northeast Community College accepts no liability for any 3rd party software and users should consider this disclaimer their provided notice and acknowledgment of such conditions. Users should evaluate the application and its terms from the developer at https://github.com/Authenticator-Extension/Authenticator prior to use. 

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