THE 360 NEWSLETTER

Advisor Applications Security Update – Integration of Multi-Factor Authentication

Top news April 20, 2023

Starting April 24, 2023, you will notice a new process when logging into your Investia Advisor Centre and other tools such as Univeris, PureFees, the Financial Needs Analysis (FNA) tool, Dashboard and Investia Learning platform. Consistent with industry best practices, we are implementing multi-factor authentication to further secure your business and client information.

About Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a 2-step validation process requiring you to provide 2 types of information to confirm your identity.

It provides an additional layer of security to the sign-in process in order to ensure it is really you accessing your Investia applications, while reducing the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, online frauds and account hacking.

Upon your first login (on or after April 24th), you will be prompted to select and set up your security method(s). Keeping the latest industry security practices in mind, you will be provided with the most secure options to complete your Multi-Factor Authentication. Below are the options that you will be able to use to authenticate:

For step-by-step guidance on the MFA process, below is a detailed guide for each of the three available security methods:

What Will Change?

  • After the rollout, you will be prompted to complete your multi-factor authentication during your Investia Advisor Centre or Univeris login process.
  • MFA will be accompanied with a refresh of the Advisor Centre and Univeris login page.
  • A redirection to a new Advisor Centre and Univeris URL login page will occur seamlessly as you attempt to access the Advisor Centre or Univeris using the old URL links.
  • If you are using a password manager or have saved your password within the browser, we advise that you record your username and password information in preparation for the first login on or after April 24th.
  • Dependent on the method of authentication you will have chosen, you will be asked to enter a unique security code or complete a biometric scan.

Why won’t advisors be able to choose voice call, SMS or email as factors of authentication?

While there are multiple methods of authentication, some offer a higher level of security than others. While the voice call and SMS to mobile options offer adequate protection for individual clients, given that advisors have access to a large number of client accounts and other sensitive information accessed through the Advisor Centre and Univeris, compromised advisor access presents a significantly higher risk in the event of a security breach. In addition, in order to maintain our cybersecurity coverage within our group E&O plan, we must restrict the MFA options to those that satisfy these security requirements. 

As the security of our client information is paramount, we are pleased to be offering you options that ensure we have taken the most prudent steps to safeguard the information of your clients and minimize the potential risk for security breaches. 

We thank you for your continued support.