Authenticating with Jira API using Python and bypassing MFA

Other Questions Jira
1

Hey folks, I’m having trouble with Jira API authentication in my Python script. It used to work fine with an API key, but now it’s not cooperating. I’ve enabled two-factor auth in Jira, and I thought the API key would let me skip that. But now my script just hangs during authentication.

Here’s a simplified version of what I was using before:

if api_key:
    jira_client = JiraConnection(
        server=jira_server,
        auth_token=api_key
    )

Does anyone know if there’s a special way to handle API authentication with MFA enabled? Or maybe I’m missing something obvious? Any tips would be super helpful!

2

I encountered a similar issue recently when working with Jira’s API. The solution that worked for me was using a Personal Access Token (PAT) instead of the API key. PATs are designed to work seamlessly with MFA-enabled accounts.

To create a PAT, go to your Jira account settings, find the ‘Security’ section, and look for ‘Create and manage API tokens’ or something similar. Generate a new token there.

Then, modify your Python code to use the PAT like this:

jira_client = JiraConnection(
    server=jira_server,
    basic_auth=("[email protected]", "your_personal_access_token")
)

This approach should bypass the MFA requirement and allow your script to authenticate successfully. Remember to keep your PAT secure, as it grants access to your account.

3

hey tom, i had the same headache. turns out, you gotta use a personal access token (PAT) now. go to your jira settings, look for API tokens, and make a new one. then use it like this:

jira_client = JiraConnection(
server=jira_server,
basic_auth=(“your_email”, “your_PAT”)
)

should work even with MFA on. good luck!

4

I’ve been in your shoes, Tom. When MFA was introduced on Jira, it disrupted many of our automated processes. After some trial and error, I discovered that creating an API token tailored to your application works best. Instead of using a password, you can generate a token from your user profile under Security. Once you have that token, update your Python code as follows:

from jira import JIRA

jira = JIRA(server="https://your-domain.atlassian.net",
            basic_auth=("[email protected]", "your-api-token"))

This method has been reliable for me even with MFA enabled, and it offers added security since you can revoke the token at any time without affecting your main credentials. I hope this insight helps.