Newer
Older
=====================
Secure authentication
=====================
To further protect subjects' personal data against compromised or weak
passwords, Castellum can *and should* be used with two-factor authentication
(2FA).
If enabled, you need to enter an additional code before you can log in to
Castellum (similar to a TAN for online banking).
Currently we support any generic TOTP application or FIDO2 hardware security
tokens.
Smartphone apps (TOTP)
We recommend to use a 2FA application on your phone. Just ask your local IT on
suggestions for appropriate apps to be used at your institution.
.. admonition:: Example
By the time of writing (June 2021) the MPI for Human Development recommends
its Castellum users to install either `Google Authenticator
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.authenticator2>`_
or `andOTP <https://f-droid.org/packages/org.shadowice.flocke.andotp/>`_ for
Android or `Microsoft Authenticator
<https://apps.apple.com/de/app/microsoft-authenticator/id983156458>`_ on iOS.
TOTP stands for “Time-based One-Time Password”. As the name suggests, each TOTP
code can only be used once.
Most TOTP apps work the same:
1. Install an authenticator app on a phone
2. Register that phone on the website (Castellum) by scanning a QR code with
the authenticator app
3. The app will now generate a new 6-digit numeric code every 30 seconds
4. The code depends on the current time, so make sure that the phone
has the correct time set
If you do not want to use your phone and TOTP, you can also chose to use
FIDO2-based hardware keys (tokens). In that case we recommend `Yubico FIDO2
tokens <https://www.yubico.com/de/product/security-key-nfc-by-yubico/>`_, but
any FIDO2-compatible token should work.
The tokens are connected to your device with USB and, when registered
successfully, usually just require a tap / key press when prompted on login.
For additional details about supported hardware tokens or Authenticator apps,
contact your local IT department or security officer.