Switching between authenticator apps

Futurae offers different types of authenticator apps: Futurae app, Futurae Whitelabel app, and Futurae mobile SDK integrated into a customer app. Each Futurae Service can be configured to work with any of the available authenticator apps.

When switching a Futurae Service between authenticator apps, it is worth noticing the impact that this change will have on the already activated users of that Service. This article describes the possible transitions between authenticator apps and their consequent impact on existing users that already have enrolled devices.

What are the available authenticator app options and what do I have to do to configure a new authenticator app?

In order to switch a Futurae Service to a new authenticator app you need to perform the following actions:

1. Contact Futurae Support in order to request the change.
2. Depending on the type of the authenticator app, you might need to perform certain configurations on your side, as described below.

• Futurae app - If you want your users to use the Futurae app, no configuration is needed on your side. This is the default state of any newly created Future Service.
• Futurae Whitelabel app - In case that you want to offer a white label app to your users, the respective Futurae Service must be associated with the specific while label app build. This configuration is handled by the Futurae team so no action is needed from your side.
• Mobile SDK App (Customer app that integrates the Futurae Mobile SDK) - If you intend to  integrate the Futurae mobile SDK in your own app, Futurae will need to assign an SDK to the respective Futurae Service, and consequently you will have to use the respective SDK credentials when setting up your app (as describe in our SDK guide for Android and iOS).

What is the impact of switching between authenticator apps?

Once the transition happens, your users will have full access and functionality when using the new authenticator app.

The impact of switching the authentication app on the already enrolled users of the respective Futurae Service applies to three particular aspects: enrollment, authentication and push notifications. Below we analyze all the different scenarios of switching between authenticator apps.

Switching from Futurae app to a white label or mobile SDK app 

• Enrollment - Users won't be able to enroll new 2FA accounts using the Futurae app anymore. Enrollment will only be possible with the new app (white label or mobile SDK app)
• Authentication - The authentication remains possible on the Futurae app
• Push notifications - Push notification messages are still delivered to the users that are using the Futurae app

Switching from a white label/mobile SDK app to the Futurae app

The transition from a Futurae Whitelabel app or mobile SDK app to the Futurae app is not expected to happen in practice, nonetheless the impact of this change for the already enrolled users in the previous app is as follows:

• Enrollment - Users won't be able to enroll new 2FA accounts using the white label/mobile SDK app anymore. Enrollment will only be possible with the Futurae app
• Authentication - Authenticating using the white label/mobile SDK app will remain possible
• Push notifications - The push notification messages won't be delivered to the users using the white label/mobile SDK app

Switching between white label/mobile SDK apps

Another possible transition is to move from a white label or mobile SDK app to another white label or mobile SDK app.

The impact of this change for the already enrolled users is the following:

• Enrollment - The enrollment will fail when using the previous white label/mobile SDK app
• Authentication - It will remain possible for your users to authenticate using the previous white label/mobile SDK app
• Push notifications - The push notification messages won't be delivered to users still using the previous white label/mobile SDK app

Summing it up

The following table illustrates the different switching scenarios and their impact:

Useful references

Futurae mobile SDK guide

https://www.futurae.com/docs/guide/futurae-sdks/mobile-sdk/