A user may access an institution system via more than one communications channel, either by the same device (e.g., a mobile device accessing the institution system via a voice channel and a data channel) or by different devices (e.g., a personal computer via a web channel and a phone via a voice channel). If a user is not currently authenticated to a communications channel and attempts to access the institution system via a communications channel, the user may be authenticated using strong authentication. If the user is currently authenticated to the institution system via a communications channel and would like to engage a second communications channel to access the institution system, the user may authenticate to the second communications channel using both communications channels and weak authentication, such as single factor authentication or a challenge question.