Machine MFA boundary
RoboMFA API TOTP under change control—not shared chat with humans.
Authority hub
MFA for AI agents, bots, and automation (RoboMFA)
How to separate human MFA from machine MFA—API TOTP, CI patterns, OpenAI admin workflows, policy, and RoboMFA under change control.
Automation MFA principles
CI/CD compatibility
Pipelines that must pass vendor TOTP during regulated windows.
Policy separation
Distinct credentials for agents vs viewer dashboards.
Human override path
On-call uses MultiMFA viewers when automation is disabled.
Audit trail mindset
Treat API keys like secrets; rotate with enrollment changes.
AI platform ready
Patterns for OpenAI and similar admin MFA.
Human viewers vs API TOTP
| Approach | Best for | Team access | Auditability | Security risk | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chat / screenshot relay | Ad hoc one-off access | Slack, SMS, verbal | Chat logs only | OTP copies; no revoke list | Fails at scale |
| Password vault OTP field | Bundled password + OTP | Vault ACL | Vault audit trail | Over-broad vault access | Partial fit |
| MultiMFA SMS + TOTP | Human viewers vs API automation MFA | Named recipients/viewers | Delivery governance | Lower than seed cloning | Purpose-built shared MFA |
Ratings reflect typical team MFA workflows at scale—not every edge case. Combine approaches only when policy allows.
MFA when humans and machines share systems
MFA for AI agents addresses a new gap: vendors require TOTP on admin consoles while teams deploy CI jobs, RPA bots, and AI tooling that cannot tap a phone. Copying codes into agent prompts is unsafe. RoboMFA provides API TOTP with policy boundaries; humans retain viewer access for override.
Human vs automation boundaries
Humans: viewer dashboards, incident expansion, offboarding via admin. Machines: API keys in vault, rate limits, change tickets. Never store API TOTP beside prompts in LLM logs.
When API TOTP is appropriate
- Scheduled integration tests against MFA-protected staging admin.
- Approved RPA maintaining legacy portals without SSO.
- Controlled agent access to AI vendor billing consoles (policy permitting).
Read shared MFA for OpenAI and RoboMFA docs.
Governance and acceptable use
Align with acceptable use and security review. Disable RoboMFA when vendors ship scoped API keys that remove TOTP dependency.
Connect to team MFA programs
Automation sits on tier 3 of a team MFA program; tiers 1–2 cover workforce SSO and shared operational MFA.
Topic map
Explore this topic
Deep dives, comparisons, integrations, and glossary terms—organized for crawl depth and team workflows.
Automation & AI MFA
Human team MFA
Learning CenterWorkflows, risks, templates, and curated paths.Read guideShared Authenticator App HubTeam authenticator architecture.Read guideWeb-based authenticator appIndividual browser-based TOTP vaults for teams.Read guideClean room authenticatorPhone-free MFA for controlled workspaces.Read guide
Glossary
Key terms in this guide
Operational definitions for shared MFA vocabulary—written for security and IT teams, not dictionary-only summaries.
Give agents API TOTP—not Slack codes
RoboMFA for approved automation; viewers for humans.
Implementation checklist
Policy first
Define which systems may use API TOTP; forbid ad hoc scripts.
RoboMFA enrollment
Issue API credentials via admin; scope to single enrollment.
Break-glass humans
Maintain viewer access when automation fails.
MultiMFA products
MultiMFA TOTP
Shared authenticator codes with governed viewer access for team admin accounts.
Try MultiMFA TOTPMultiMFA SMS
Dedicated number for inbound SMS verification codes with named recipients.
Try MultiMFA SMSMultiMFA SMS (Cell)
Coming soon: dedicated carrier-issued mobile numbers for services that restrict VoIP MFA.
Request Pilot AccessMultiMFA Authenticator
Individual web-based TOTP vaults for phone-free, clean-room, and offshore teams.
Explore AuthenticatorRoboMFA
API TOTP for approved automation—CI, bots, and AI agents under change control.
Explore RoboMFAAI agent & automation MFA FAQ
Should AI agents share human MFA codes?
No. Agents should use dedicated API TOTP (RoboMFA) with secrets management—never Slack codes shared with people.
What is RoboMFA?
MultiMFA API product that returns TOTP for approved automation integrations.
How does this relate to OpenAI admin MFA?
Humans use viewer dashboards; automation uses RoboMFA under policy—see OpenAI integration guide.
Free trial?
Explore RoboMFA during the 14-day platform trial.
More questions? Contact support or read our security overview.
MFA architecture for the agent era
Policy-first automation with MultiMFA.