Verification types in the base system

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Verification types in the base system

    ServiceNow provides several built-in verification types that serve as templates for designing custom verifications, primarily used in password reset and identity verification processes. These verification types help confirm user identity through various methods such as data confirmation, codes, or security questions. Understanding these types enables ServiceNow customers to choose or customize verifications that best fit their security and user experience requirements.

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    Verification Types and Their Use Cases

    • Personal Data Confirmation: Used primarily by service desk agents to verify identity by viewing user data from the User [sysuser] table. No user enrollment required. Not supported by the Password Reset Windows Application.
    • Personal Data: Requires the user to answer questions based on their User [sysuser] data without enrollment. The Password Reset Windows Application supports multiple verifications of this type.
    • Email Code: Sends a verification code to the user’s registered or authorized email during password reset. The user submits the code to verify identity. Multiple verifications of this type are supported in the Windows Application.
    • Google Authenticator: Uses a code from the user’s paired Google Authenticator app during password reset. Only a single verification of this type is supported by the Password Reset and Windows Application.
    • Security Questions: Presents personal security questions that the user must answer correctly. Supported as a single verification in both Password Reset applications. Custom questions can be added.
    • SMS Code: Sends a code to an SMS-enabled device authorized by the user during password reset. Only a single verification of this type is supported in both Password Reset applications.
    • Mock: A non-functional type used for demonstration or testing purposes. Not supported by the Password Reset Windows Application. It collects user input and returns it through the verification process.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    Customers can leverage these verification types as templates to create custom verification mechanisms tailored to their organizational security policies and user workflows. When implementing password reset processes, it is important to consider application compatibility (such as limitations in the Password Reset Windows Application) and the number of verifications supported per type.

    For enhanced security and flexibility, customers can combine multiple verification types where supported or extend existing types with custom questions or enrollment processes.

    Next Steps

    • Use these verification types as a foundation to create custom Password Reset verifications that meet your specific requirements.
    • Refer to documentation on adding custom questions to Security Questions and managing multiple verifications for Email Code and Personal Data types.

    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.