Verification types in the base system

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Verification types in the base system

    The base system offers various verification types that serve as templates for designing custom verifications, particularly for password resets. Each type utilizes data from the User [sysuser] table to confirm user identity through different methods.

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    Key Features

    • Personal Data Confirmation: Verifies identity with user data displayed to a service desk agent. No enrollment is needed; ideal for service desk processes.
    • Personal Data: Requires users to answer identity questions without prior enrollment.
    • Email Code: Sends a verification code to the user's email for identity confirmation during password reset requests.
    • Google Authenticator: Utilizes a code from the Google Authenticator app for verification during password resets.
    • Security Questions: Users answer personal security questions for identity verification.
    • SMS Code: Sends a verification code to an authorized SMS-capable device for password resets.
    • Mock: Demonstrates how to add a verification type but is not functional for identity verification.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing these verification types, ServiceNow customers can enhance security during password reset processes, ensuring user identities are verified efficiently. The variety of options allows for flexible configurations tailored to specific organizational needs, while also aiding in the creation of custom verifications as required.

    Use a verification type in the base system as a template to design a custom verification.

    Table 1. Verification types in the base system
    Verification type Description
    Personal Data Confirmation Verifies user identity using data from the User [sys_user] table. The user data is displayed to a service desk agent. The agent verifies the data.

    Enrollment is not required for this type.

    Recommended for service desk-assisted processes.
    Note:
    The Password Reset Windows Application does not support the Personal Data Confirmation Verification type.

    See Personal data identification types and confirmation type verifications.
    Personal Data Verifies user identity using data from the User [sys_user] table. The user is required to answer questions.

    Enrollment is not required for this type.

    Note:
    The Password Reset Windows Application allows you to define and use multiple verifications of the Personal Data type.
    See Personal data identification types and confirmation type verifications.
    Email Code When a user requests password reset, the system sends a verification code to the email address in the user profile or to an email address that the user authorized during enrollment. To verify identity, the user then submits the code on the Password Reset Verify page.
    Note:
    The Password Reset Windows Application allows you to define and use multiple verifications of the Email Code type.
    See Personal data identification types and confirmation type verifications.
    Google Authenticator While requesting password reset, the user reads a code from the Google Authenticator app on a device that the user has paired. To verify identity, the user then submits the code on the Password Reset Verify page.
    Note:
    The Password Reset and Password Reset Windows Application support only a single verification of the SMS Code type.
    Security Questions Verifies user identity by presenting personal security questions that the user must answer correctly.
    Note:
    The Password Reset and Password Reset Windows Application support only a single verification of the Security Questions type.

    See Add a custom question to the Security Questions verification.
    SMS Code When a user requests password reset, the system sends a code to an SMS-capable device that the user has authorized. To verify identity, the user then enters the code on the Password Reset web page.
    Note:
    The Password Reset and Password Reset Windows Application support only a single verification of the SMS Code type.
    See SMS Code Verification type for Password Reset.
    Mock Not a functional identity verification. Demonstrates how to add a verification type in a Password Reset process.
    Note:
    The Password Reset Windows Application does not support the Mock verification type.
    • The enrollment UI macro for this verification gets the user input and returns the entered value in the enrollment processor.
    • The Password Reset UI macro for this verification gets input from the user and returns the entered value through the verification processor.