CIO'S MESSAGE - September 24, 2026

Starting January 4, 2027, SMS (text) message and voice calls will no longer be supported methods for multi-factor authentication (MFA) due to fundamental insecurities. This change is required to maintain compliance with California State University (CSU) Systemwide Policy and as part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to strengthen account security and reduce risks associated with phishing and account compromise.

If you currently use SMS (text) messages or phone calls to verify your identity when signing in, we strongly encourage you to switch to the Microsoft Authenticator app before January to avoid disruption.

Why act now?

Making this change today offers several benefits:

• Provides a more secure sign-in experience.
• Improves protection of your personal information and university data.
• Avoids disruptions when the change takes effect on January 4, 2027.

What should you do?

• Download and install the Microsoft Authenticator app if 
  you have not already done so.
• Configure Microsoft Authenticator as your primary MFA method.
• Verify that your authentication methods are up to date.
• Consider enabling passwordless sign-in for an even faster 
  and more secure experience.

Support

Visit Secure Your Sign-In Before January 4, 2027 for instructions, FAQs, and ways to obtain support.

Thank you for helping keep CSULB accounts and data secure.

Division of IT Contact Info

Service Management: DoIT-ServiceManagement@csulb.edu

IT Help Desk