Purdue students, faculty and staff must activate BoilerKey, a two-factor authentication system, by Oct. 30 to prevent getting locked out of their Purdue accounts.

Utilizing two-factor authentication methods, BoilerKey requires a generated pin from a secondary device — either a smartphone or token — to gain access to the account. For smartphone users, the DUO mobile app is needed to generate the required pin. If students do not have a smartphone, they can set up BoilerKey online and pick up a token on campus.

Tim Winders, vice chancellor of Information Services, said multi-factor authentication is not a new method for institutions, adding that last year PNW employees were required to set up a BoilerKey to access personnel systems.

“Implementing MFA at Purdue Northwest aligns our Information security posture with best practices,” Winders said.

Winders said Duo mobile requires no cellular or wifi network and does not collect personal data. Winders also encouraged students to use MFA to secure their non-Purdue, personal accounts.

The BoilerKey instructional webpage includes video tutorials for users to follow as well as an FAQ page.