Clever Launches Classroom MFA for K-12 Cybersecurity

Clever, which offers a platform for secure digital learning in schools, has unveiled Classroom MFA, a multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution specifically designed for K-12 education. The new security measure aims to protect student, teacher, and staff accounts without requiring a secondary device, addressing a common challenge in educational environments where personal device use is limited.

The introduction of Classroom MFA comes in response to increasing cyberattacks targeting educational institutions. Traditional security solutions, such as smartphone-based authentication and biometric identification, have not been widely adopted in classrooms due to accessibility and budget constraints. Classroom MFA offers an alternative by providing age-appropriate second factors, including login pictures for young students, physical badges for middle schoolers, and conventional second-factor options for high school students.

The “login pictures” feature is designed for young students, where they use a picture-based login instead of traditional passwords or other forms of multi-factor authentication. This is intended to simplify the login process for younger users who might find it challenging to remember complex passwords or manage secondary devices. Students select from a series of images, which serve as their unique login credential.

“The rising numbers of cyberattacks on students nationwide highlighted the need for an effective MFA solution that protected our students,” said Joel Thurman-Williams of Pioneer School District 402 in Washington state. “An attack would be extremely costly for us. The cost-effective MFA solution from Clever significantly reduces the risk of cybercriminals exploiting our students.”

Classroom MFA is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing systems like Clever Portal, Google Workspace, and Google Chromebook logins, with the aim of ensuring a secure and user-friendly experience.

Some of the key features of Classroom MFA include various second-factor options, protection for federated applications, unlimited policy creation for different student groups, and context-based MFA prompts. The solution also provides delegated administration tools, allowing teachers to assist students with login issues directly in the classroom.

“Our goal is to secure access for everyone in education, regardless of a school’s size or cybersecurity resources, now. The attacks are already happening and increasing in volume. Safeguarding our classrooms now is essential to stopping bad actors” said Mohit Gupta, Director of Product at Clever. “Building on our successful deployment of Clever Badges to millions of students, we hope to further secure and improve the authentication process for schools of all kinds before back to school this year.”

Classroom MFA is being offered with a price tag of $1.50 per user annually.

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June 6, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith