Signing in and the authenticator app

The portal screens are in development. Their words and layout may still change; the commands behind the buttons are already built.

When an admin creates your account, you get a sign-in note. At the first sign-in you choose your own password and, if your institution asks for it, set up an authenticator app on your phone first.

What you receive

The sign-in note from your admin has three things:

• the portal address, such as https://app.example.org;
• your ID;
• a temporary password and its deadline. By default it works for 72 hours.

If the deadline has passed, ask an admin for a new temporary password.

The first sign-in

1. Step 1: Sign in

   Open the portal address, enter your ID and password under “ID” and “Password”, and press [Sign in]. The language switch at the top right offers 한국어 and English; the first choice follows your browser's language.

2. Step 2: Set up an authenticator app (if asked)

   If your institution asks for one (an installation that faces the internet), the “Set up an authenticator app” page comes first: “This installation asks every account for a code from an authenticator app.” Set up the app as in steps 1 to 3 of Setting up an authenticator app below and press [Confirm]; the button then becomes [Change password]. Press it.

   If your institution does not ask, there is no such step. You can set up an app later under [My account], whenever you like.

3. Step 3: Choose a new password

   The “Change password” page appears with this message: “This is your first sign-in, or an admin created a temporary password. Choose a new password to continue.”

   Enter the temporary password under “Current password”, your new one under “New password” and “New password again”, and press [Change password].

4. Step 4: Sign in with the new password

   When you see “Your password was changed. Sign in with the new one.”, sign in again with the new password, and with a code if you set up the app.

Once you are in, [My workspaces] opens.

Setting up an authenticator app

With an authenticator app, each sign-in asks for the 6-digit code your phone shows, after the password. When the site is reachable from the internet, every account must set one up. Otherwise you can set one up whenever you like, in the “Authenticator app” section of [My account].

1. Step 1: Get an app on your phone

   Install an authenticator app that shows 6-digit codes, such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.

2. Step 2: Press [Set up]

   Press [Set up] and a QR code and a setup key appear: “Scan it with an authenticator app on your phone (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, ...).” If you cannot scan, type the key shown under “If you cannot scan, type this key” into the app.

3. Step 3: Enter a code and press [Confirm]

   Enter the app's code under “6-digit code from the app” and press [Confirm]. You see “The authenticator app is set up. Sign-ins now ask for its code.”

4. Step 4: Sign in again

   Press [Sign in again] and sign in with your password and a code. Confirming the app signs you out everywhere, this tab included. Only during a first sign-in, when the password still has to change, does the session go on, to [Change password].

Set up from [My account], the console under the screen shows these commands. The setup that follows the sign-in pages has no console.

Started setting up the authenticator app: kimAdd it to the app with the setup link (as a QR code) or the setup key, then confirm with: synapse user authenticator confirm

stdin: (hidden)Confirmed the authenticator app: kimSign-ins now ask for its code.Signed out 1 session. Sign in again with your password and a code.

Signing in with a code

Once your account has an app, a correct password is followed by: “Open the authenticator app on your phone and enter this account's code.” Enter the 6-digit code the app shows now and press [Verify].

A code is never accepted twice. If you need to try again, wait for the app to show a new code.

If the sign-in page says that sign-ins used your correct password without the right code, someone may have tried your password. If that was not you, change your password.

When a fresh code is needed

For an account with an authenticator app, changing SSH keys, API tokens, accounts and temporary passwords needs a code from the last 10 minutes. Pressing such a button opens “Confirm with a code”; enter the app's code and the action continues.

If you lose or change your phone

Ask an admin to reset the authenticator app. There are no recovery codes. Changing phones works the same way: the admin resets the app and you set it up again. A reset also means a new password, new SSH keys and new API tokens.

How long you stay signed in

A sign-in lasts 12 hours at most, and ends after 60 minutes without use (the defaults). An open IDE tab counts as use. Signing in again does not touch your workspaces: their terminals and running jobs carry on.

Changing your password

Change your password in [My account]. Changing it ends every sign-in session and revokes your SSH keys and API tokens. You can keep them with “Keep my API tokens and SSH keys”, but leave that off if you are changing the password because someone may know it.

If you cannot sign in

The screen says in one sentence what failed, and then gives the reason and what to do.