A look at myGate’s two-factor authentication

Starting Oct. 1, myGate will require all students to use a two-factor authentication system. While some students have already started using it, not much has been said to most students about the system itself.

According to the Murray State Teamdynamix website, usernames and passwords are no longer secure enough on their own to protect student and staff accounts from unauthorized access.

Brian Purcell, associate chief information officer and security officer of Murray State Information Systems, said Murray’s implementation isn’t part of an ongoing trend but a necessary change to augment the security of reusable passwords. 

“Murray State is adding this to our authentication for web accessible applications to protect personal data of not only students, but also faculty and staff,” Purcell said. 

Purcell also said the new system implementation is not a direct reaction to any security breaches, but rather the addition of an appropriate security control to protect data and computing resources. 

Laura Castleberry, assistant director for Information System Services, said the new system is necessary, given the advancements in technology over the years.  

“As technology evolves and more personal data is available online, look at social media, users expect that the online resources they access will provide privacy and security,” Castleberry said. “This is something Murray State University takes seriously and will continue to improve upon.”

Castleberry also said many institutions in Kentucky have implemented other forms of multi-factor authentication to varied degrees. 

Western Kentucky University started using two-factor authentication on Feb. 25, and University of Kentucky began the system’s use on July 17. 

“Murray State University is using Duo for our myGate Two-Factor Authentication,” Castleberry said. “But other institutions may be using a different security application for their systems.”

Students will not be able to access myGate and other online campus services until they register.

For those still confused on how to sign up, several articles on the Murray State Teamdynamix website will guide them step-by-step throughout the registration process.