this post was submitted on 30 May 2024
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Ms auth is a mobile only application. Not even available on windows or macOS. The point of it is to provide a second factor of authentication in the for of "something you have". There are a few factors that can be used for authentication. Something you know (password), something you have (hardware like a key or a phone), and something you are (iris scan, DNA, fingerprint, other biometric). Ms auth uses something you have and something you are to authenticate most users. You provide a password and then you prove you have your cellphone and your cellphone checks your biometrics to see if you are you. In that way, it is effectively checking all 3 factors.
Why couldn't "laptop" be a second factor?
It is using windows hello on compatible machines and through persistent tokens on Mac and Windows machines not compatible with hello. You have to create that token with a known factor such as a mobile device but outside of that, users almost never have to sign in with persistent tokens.