Citrix Workspace is helping to shape the future of work by organizing, guiding, and automating work, and Citrix Cloud has transformed how IT works by providing a unified platform of all the Citrix services being administered by their organization. Many critical resources, including applications and data that hold sensitive information, are delivered through Citrix Cloud, making its security a top priority for both Citrix and our customers.
Password spraying and credential stuffing are common types of attacks used to gain access to critical systems. In fact, a study showed that 81 percent of data breaches are related to weak passwords, which are essential to the success of these attacks. There’s good news, though. According to research by Microsoft, multi-factor authentication (MFA) can prevent 99.9 percent of these attacks.
Multi-Factor Authentication for Citrix Cloud
Given the effectiveness of MFA and the importance of protecting customer data within Citrix Cloud, we’re pleased to announce the upcoming release of MFA for Citrix Cloud administrators. With this release, Citrix Cloud administrators will be required to use MFA when logging into the Citrix Cloud admin panel. This capability will be simple for admins to implement and won’t require on-prem infrastructure, added expertise, or cost. This release requires enrollment for all Citrix Identity accounts. If you are currently using Azure Active Directory for administrator authentication, Citrix strongly recommends setting up MFA in your Azure account.
How Does it Work?
When implemented, Citrix Cloud admins will use a time-based, one-time password (TOTP) on a secondary device, like a mobile device, as a second factor of authentication. Admins can choose a third-party app, like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator, or the native experience from Citrix Cloud. This feature will be automatically included in every Citrix Cloud account, with no action required from the customer. Keep reading to learn how to activate MFA for your Citrix Cloud account.
When Should I Set It Up?
Enrollments for MFA for Citrix Cloud admins will begin in mid-May. When admins log into their Citrix Cloud account, they will be asked if they would like to set up MFA. We strongly encourage they do so on their next login, as MFA will become a requirement for all Citrix Cloud administrators by June 15, 2020.
Configure MFA for Citrix Cloud Admins
Step 1
- Login into Citrix Cloud
- Click on the admin name in the top right
- Click My Profile.
Step 2
Click Set up an authenticator app on your device to start the device enrollment process. This app can be on your mobile device, laptop, or desktop.
Step 3
You will receive an email with a verification code. Enter this code and your account password. Click Verify.
Step 4
Download an authenticator app that supports time-based, one-time passwords (TOTP). Options include Citrix SSO, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, and more.
Step 5
Scan the QR code or enter the key into your authenticator app. An entry will show up for Citrix and will start generating six-digit TOTP codes.
Step 6
To verify proper configuration, enter the six-digit code from the app and click Verify.
Step 7
If you lose your device or delete your authenticator app, you’ll need to use a recovery method to regain access to your account. Citrix will require two recovery methods to ensure you’ll always be able to securely access your Citrix Cloud account. First, choose “Recovery Phone.”
Step 8
Enter your recovery phone information. In the case that you lose or replace your device, lose your backup codes, or delete your authenticator app, a Citrix representative will call you to verify your identity. We will never ask you for your password or back up codes.
Step 9
Get your backup codes by clicking “Generate backup codes.”
Step 10
Click Download Codes to download a text file with your backup codes. Store these securely as you’ll need them if you lose your device or delete the app that was generating your one-time passwords.
Step 11
Acknowledge the backup codes have been downloaded and click Finish.
You’ve completed MFA for Citrix Cloud!
Helping our customers protect their data is a top priority for Citrix. By enabling MFA for Citrix Cloud admins, we are taking an important step in preventing common attacks that could lead to a data breach. MFA for Citrix Cloud admins will be required by June 15, 2020, so we strongly recommend that you enable it soon!
