5 Insights into Classroom MFA: A Message from Mohit, Director of Product

In my recent discussion with Josh and Chris – hosts of the K12 Tech Talk podcast – I had the opportunity to dive into Clever’s revolutionary Classroom Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) solution. As the Director of Product at Clever, I am excited to share how this innovative approach is reshaping student account security in schools across the country.

We discussed several important topics around securing student access, including tailored authentication methods we’ve designed for students and the scalability of the Classroom MFA for districts of any size. We also talk in-depth about Clever Library and I answer the team’s questions about student data privacy (This portion of the conversation takes place between 22:40 through 31:00 in the recording). 

In this article, I will explore these insights further, offering school leaders a comprehensive view of how Clever’s Classroom MFA is poised to redefine security standards in K-12 education. 

Here are five key aspects of Clever’s Classroom MFA that I believe are crucial for administrators to understand:

1. Tailored authentication for students

Clever Classroom MFA is designed with students’ needs in mind. We offer age-appropriate authentication methods, such as login pictures for your youngest students, plus username/password and Clever Badge combinations for older students. We took into consideration the fact that mobile devices are increasingly not allowed in schools to help reduce distractions so the methods we offer provide non-cell phone based second factors. This ensures a seamless yet secure login experience, catering to students of all grade levels.

2. Enhanced security for Google accounts

Classroom MFA can protect access to Google Workspace accounts when accessed through the Clever Portal or when accessed directly in Google. To do this, Clever serves as the authentication system or Identity Provider (IdP) for Google accounts. Even if a student attempts to access their Google account directly, they will be redirected through Clever’s sign in and MFA process, safeguarding their account, seamlessly.

3. Proven reliability

Clever has been the trusted identity provider for elementary school students accessing Chromebooks with Clever Badges for over a decade — with more than 3 billion Clever Badge logins to date. We’ve designed classroom authentication with students and educators in mind, purposefully building in troubleshooting tools to support teachers directly in the classroom. This track record speaks to our commitment to providing secure authentication solutions that educators and administrators can rely on.

4. Focus on security and privacy

At Clever, security and privacy are at the core of everything we do. Our MFA solution is designed to seamlessly integrate into the learning environment, ensuring that students, teachers, and administrators can access educational resources securely and privately. Our login picture method, for example, is designed using a combination of two images that appear in random places during each login attempt making it extremely difficult for a would-be hacker to guess both correctly. After 3 unsuccessful attempts, the account is locked until the person can get support from their own teacher making it very clear if it’s not the account owner trying to access the account. 

5. Scalability and accessibility

Our Classroom MFA solution is built to scale, making it suitable for school districts of all sizes. Whether you’re in a small rural school with a singular IT person or a large urban district with a team of techs, Clever’s Classroom MFA is designed to meet your security needs while ensuring ease of use for students and educators alike. With thoughtful functionality like delegated administration where teachers can send bypass codes, view login pictures, or even reset MFA directly from their own Clever Teacher Portal, the ability to unblock access while maintaining security is right in your educators’ hands. 

In conclusion, Clever’s Classroom MFA is a testament to our commitment to providing secure, user-friendly solutions for education. We believe that by incorporating age-appropriate authentication methods and designing our products with K-12 schools uniquely in mind, we can create a safer learning environment for all students.

Listen to the entire K12 Tech Talk podcast about Classroom MFA