Newsroom
Department encourages use of soft tokens for secure access to federal systems
November 03, 2022
The Department of Education is recommending financial aid professionals use what are known as soft tokens – basically an app on their phone – as a part of the two-factor authentication process needed to access Federal Student Aid systems.
In a November 2 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education said while the use of a soft token is optional, “users who have a compatible mobile device and who have received approval from their Primary Destination Point Administrator (PDPA) are highly encouraged to use the soft token app.”
Currently, some users with access to federal systems are using a physical “key fob” token that generates a security code when the user presses a button on the token.
According to the Department, a soft token “provides the same high level of security as the physical token, while offering greater convenience as there is no additional hardware to carry.”
In the announcement, the Department explains why the use of a soft token is recommended and provides updated step-by-step instructions for installing and registering a soft token.