Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code from your mobile phone when you sign in. It works alongside a strong password: the password is your first layer, 2FA is the second. Start by making sure your password is strong.

Password Requirements

TetherX checks the strength of every new password before accepting it. A password that is too easy to guess is rejected, and you will be asked to choose a stronger one.

What makes a valid password

• At least 12 characters. A password below 12 characters is rejected before anything else is considered. Length counts for more than any other single characteristic, so a longer password scores higher than a short one with punctuation in it.
• Mix character types. Combining lower case, upper case, numbers and symbols (for example !@#$%^&*?_~-) raises the score quickly. A password that mixes letters with numbers, or letters with symbols, clears the bar comfortably.

A password made only of letters, or only of numbers, loses points and is often rejected as too weak even at 12 characters.

What gets rejected

• Common passwords. Well known choices such as password, letmein, qwerty or 123456 are on a blocklist. Substituting characters or adding digits does not get a blocklisted word past the check, so P@ssw0rd, Password and password2026 are all rejected as well.
• A single repeated character, such as aaaaaaaaaaaa or 111111111111.
• Your email address, or a recognisable part of it, weakens the password sharply. A password that is your email address is rejected.
• Sequences like abc or 123, and repeated runs like abcabc, both count against the score.

Examples

A good habit is to string together a few unrelated words with numbers or symbols between them: easy for you to remember, hard for anyone else to guess.

How It Works

When 2FA is enabled, you'll need:

1. Your email and password (something you know)
2. A code from your authenticator app (something you have)

Even if someone obtains your password, they still need to unlock your phone and open your authenticator app to get in.

Setting Up 2FA

Requirements

• A smartphone with an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, or any TOTP-compatible app)
• Your current TetherX password

Steps

1. Click your profile icon in the top right corner → Security tab
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2. Select Authenticator App from the Two-Factor Authentication dropdown
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3. Enter your current password and click Update User
4. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app (or manually enter the setup key)
5. Enter the 6-digit code shown in your app to verify setup

Signing In with 2FA

After entering your email and password, you'll be prompted for a verification code:

1. Open your authenticator app
2. Find the entry for TetherX
3. Enter the 6-digit code (codes refresh every 30 seconds)
4. Click Verify

Each code can only be used once. Once a code has been accepted it is refused for the rest of its window, so a code somebody looked over your shoulder to read cannot be reused.

You have five attempts at the code in any fifteen minutes. After that the account is locked, and starting again from the sign-in page does not give you a fresh five. A sign-in you leave part-finished expires after five minutes. See Account Lockout.

Lost Access to your Authenticator

If you lose access to your authenticator app (lost phone, app deleted, or device reset), contact your administrator to reset your 2FA settings. If you are the administrator, contact your integrator or Support.

Managing 2FA for Other Users

Administrators and integrators can enable or disable 2FA for other users.

Enabling 2FA

1. Go to Users → select the user → Security tab
2. Select Authenticator App from the dropdown
3. Click Update User

The user will be signed out of all active sessions and required to complete 2FA setup on their next login.

Disabling 2FA

1. Go to Users → select the user → Security tab
2. Select None from the Two-Factor Authentication dropdown
3. Click Update User

2FA is disabled immediately. Use this to help users who have lost access to their authenticator app.

Related

• Account Lockout - What happens after repeated wrong passwords or verification codes.
• User Permissions - Configure what each user can access and do in the system.
• Reset Your Password - Change your password or recover a forgotten one.