MFA for a custom web application on a user's smartphone is no longer working. The last time the user remembered it working was before taking a vacation to another country. Which of the following…

The correct answer is A. Verify the date and time settings. Time-based one-time password (TOTP) MFA apps rely on accurate clock synchronization. Traveling can desynchronize the device's clock, causing generated codes to be invalid. Ensuring the smartphone's date/time (and time zone) are correct will typically restore MFA functionality

Submitted by alyssa_d· Mar 30, 2026Security

Question

MFA for a custom web application on a user's smartphone is no longer working. The last time the user remembered it working was before taking a vacation to another country. Which of the following should the technician do first?

Options

AVerify the date and time settings.
BApply mobile OS patches.
CUninstall and reinstall the application.
DEscalate to the website developer.

How the community answered

(38 responses)

A
55% (21)
B
26% (10)
C
5% (2)
D
13% (5)

Explanation

Time-based one-time password (TOTP) MFA apps rely on accurate clock synchronization. Traveling can desynchronize the device's clock, causing generated codes to be invalid. Ensuring the smartphone's date/time (and time zone) are correct will typically restore MFA functionality

Topics

#MFA troubleshooting#Mobile device troubleshooting#Time synchronization

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