Oracle adds multifactor authentication, single sign-on

Starting Friday, Dec. 6, in addition to using their EAD credential to sign in to Oracle, district staff will be prompted to provide a secondary security code. This secondary identification code is not unlike those used by banks and other sites to increase cybersecurity.

Oracle is used not only by district departments and schools to prepare payroll, purchase goods and services from approved vendors, and conduct other district business. It is also used by employees to access iExpense for mileage and travel expense submission, to check PTO balances, download statements of earnings and perform other activities.

Multifactor authentication is a two-step verification process that usually uses a username and password and an additional way to identify the user, such as a code sent via text message or email or provided through an app.

Starting Dec. 6, employees who access Oracle will be prompted to set up the multifactor verification for their account. Only one is necessary for verification, but IT recommends employees set up more than one:

• Register a device such as a cellphone to receive a passcode via text message
• Provide easily remembered answers to three questions
• Download an app to a mobile device to get a passcode

“The simplest would be a text message, but if you are good with remembering questions, that is another option,” Shears said.

This process of providing a second verification will have to be repeated every 90 days, but will not be necessary every time Oracle is accessed within that window using a device connected to the district’s network that has already been registered. The multifactor verification will have to be done every time Oracle is accessed from a device outside the district’s network even if it has been registered.

Instructions and manuals to help employees with the process of accessing Oracle will be available in the next few weeks.