Resetting two-factor authentication for users

If Single Sign-On is enabled for your Absolute account, this topic is not applicable unless you excluded some user accounts from SSO.

From time to time, you may need to reset two-factor authentication (2FA) for a user. A reset is required if a user deletes their Absolute user account from the authenticator app, uninstalls the app, loses their mobile device, or purchases a new one. In all of these scenarios, the user can't log in to the Secure Endpoint Console because they can't generate verification codes. Resetting 2FA allows the user to reconfigure the authenticator app on their device.

If the user is still able to generate verification codes, but they want to reconfigure the authenticator app or switch to a different app, they can reset 2FA for themselves in their user profile. Learn more

To reset 2FA for a user:

  1. Log in to the Secure Endpoint Console as a user with Manage permissions for Authentication and Users.
  2. Go to the Users area.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • To reset 2FA for a single user:
      1. Search for and select the user that you want to reset 2FA for.
      2. Under Authentication, select the Reset two-factor authentication checkbox.
      3. Click Save.
    • To reset 2FA for multiple users:
      1. In the results grid, select each user you want to to reset 2FA for. To select all users, select the Select All checkbox in the result grid header. To select consecutive users, select the first user and then hold down the Shift key and select the last user. To remove all selections, click Clear all.
      2. Click Reset 2FA.
      3. In the confirmation message, click Reset.

2FA is reset and a Two-Factor authentication reset event is logged to Event History.

An email is sent to the user instructing them that Two-Factor Authentication for their Absolute user account is reset. The next time they log in, they'll be directed to the Enable Two-Factor Authentication page to reconfigure the authenticator app on their device.