Pulse Connect Secure supported versions, and factors

The Pulse Connect Secure supports the following versions, clients, features and factors.

Supported Versions

This guide has been verified with the following versions:

  • Pulse Connect Secure v8.3

Supported factors

The size of the challenge message can be too large for the RADIUS prompt if you let users enroll too many authenticators. Okta recommends that you enroll no more than eight authenticators at a given time.

Okta supports the following authenticators for RADIUS apps:

MFA Authenticator

Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) Extensible Authentication Protocol - Generic Token Card (EAP-GTC) Extensible Authentication Protocol - Tunneled Transport Layer Security (EAP-TTLS)*
Duo (Push, SMS, and Passcode only) Supported Supported Duo passcode only.

Email

Supported

Supported

Supported when the string "EMAIL" is initially sent.
Refer to associated note.

RADIUS doesn't support inline enrollment with Email. When using inline enrollment, either disable Email or specify Password reset in Email settings.

Google authenticator

Supported Supported Supported, as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".

Okta Verify (TOTP and PUSH)

Supported (for one device only) Supported (for one device only) Supported (for one device only), as long as challenge is avoided.
For example:
MFA-only or "Password, MFA" for TOTP.
Push can work with primary authentication with MFA as the push challenge is sent out-of-band.

Okta Verify (number challenge)

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

Phone (SMS and Voice call)

Supported Supported Supported when the string "CALL" is sent.
Refer to associated note.

YubiKey OTP

Supported Supported Supported - as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".

* RADIUS supports three authentication methods:

  • Password + MFA: Primary authentication using password, then the user is prompted to select factors to complete the authentication.
  • MFA Only: Instead of password, users enter either a one-time passcode (OTP), or one of EMAIL, SMS, CALL, PUSH (case insensitive).
  • Password and Passcode: Password entered immediately followed by a passcode in a request.
    Must be in the same request, for example: Abcd1234,879890" or "Abcd1234,SmS".

Protocols support the following authentication methods:

Protocol Supports
PAP Password and MFA, MFA, "Password and passcode".
EAP-TTLS MFA only, "Password and passcode".
EAP-GTC Password and MFA, MFA only, "Password and passcode".

Users must send the specified string EMAIL/SMS/CALL, which initially returns a failure. This results in the generation of an OTP provided using the specified method. The provided OTP can then be used for authentication.

EAP-TTLS doesn't support enrollment

Authentication will fail unexpectedly when EAP-TTLS is enabled, either Okta Verify or Phone are specified as the required enrollment policy, and the user isn't enrolled in that authenticator.

The U2F Security and Windows Hello MFA factors aren't compatible with RADIUS-enabled implementations. See Configuring RADIUS applications in Okta.

Passwordless authentication

RADIUS authentication uses passwords as the primary authentication mechanism. Traditional RADIUS authentication can't be performed with passwordless users. RADIUS can use other factors for authentication when the application setting property Okta performs primary authentication is cleared. See 2FA Only (Passwordless Mode) in RADIUS applications in Okta for addition detail.

For more information on passwordless authentication see Set up passwordless sign-in experience.