100-140 Question 136
Single answerA user reports being unable to log in to their work account despite entering the correct password. Upon investigation, you find that the account is protected by multifactor authentication (MFA) using an authenticator app. What should the user do next to regain access?
- A
Check the authenticator app for the latest code and enter it quickly.
- B
Disable MFA from the user's account settings to bypass the issue.
- C
Contact IT support to reset the password and remove the authenticator app.
- D
Verify the system clock on both their device and the authenticator app are synced.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Authenticator apps generate time-based one-time passwords (TOTP). If the user's system clock and the authenticator app's internal clock are out of sync, the codes may not be accepted. Ensuring that both clocks are properly synchronized is crucial for MFA to function correctly.
- A. Incorrect.
Entering the latest code from the authenticator app is correct in normal scenarios, but if the system clock is out of sync, the generated codes may not work.
- B. Incorrect.
Disabling MFA is not a secure option and is typically not allowed in enterprise environments without following strict procedures.
- C. Incorrect.
Resetting the password and removing the authenticator app would unnecessarily compromise security and is not the best practice for resolving MFA issues.
- D. Correct.
Authenticator apps rely on time-based codes, so if the system clock on either the user's device or the authenticator app is out of sync, the codes will not validate. Syncing the clocks can resolve the issue.