SURFsecureID gives institutions secure access to services. Better security is particularly critical for services handling sensitive data. Such services require stronger forms of authentication than a username and password in order to limit the risk of security incidents.

Institutions can use SURFsecureID in two ways:

1. In addition to an existing institutional login. SURFsecureID is only used for the 2nd factor. This is especially interesting for use by a central (authentication) facility such as ADFS, Citrix or F5 BIGIP. This facility handles the 1st factor itself and calls SURFsecureID for the 2nd factor if necessary. This makes strong authentication available for a range of internal and external (cloud) services. This option is also called Second Factor Only, especially in the more technical documentation.
   
2. For a cloud service. SURFsecureID handles the entire login for service, ie both the 1st and the 2nd factor. The 1st factor (username / password) via the IdP and the 2nd factor via the available means.
   

SURFsecureID gives access to services via three different types of tokens: SMS, Tiqr (smartphone app) or YubiKey (USB hardware token). Users first log in with their institutional account and are then prompted to confirm their identity with their token. In this way there is a second layer of security.

Strong authentication is available at an additional fee for all institutions connected to SURFconext.

How does it work?

1. The user registers his preferred token (SMS, Tiqr or Yubikey) in the registration portal
2. User must visit his institution's service desk to have an authorised employee verify his identity.
3. This employee will bind the user's token to his account. After that the user's token will be activated.
4. Now the user can log in to any service designated for strong authentication using the two-step login procedure.