IT Professionals and users alike may have been mildly surprised when their usual multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompt came through via a WhatsApp message rather than the usual SMS text message.
The move is part of a wider plan to improve user experience and security when signing into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. This change is rolling out to all users with WhatsApp installed, Microsoft has informed its Partners.
It should be noted that this type of MFA via text message or WhatsApp is considered legacy as more reliable and secure methods are now available, with tools like the Microsoft Authenticator app or hardware tokens which are preferred as they’re more resistant to phishing attempts and can be accessed where there is no signal.