Today, many business threats take place online, and that’s why it’s so important to put the strongest possible security measures in place, especially for passwords. Security for key aspects such as passwords and authentication, can’t be overlooked by any business looking to protect itself and its most sensitive data.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective security measures you can put in place. We’re going to tell you more about this measure, how it works and why it’s effective at addressing the threats businesses are facing today more than ever before.
Multi-Factor Authentication
The concept of multi-factor authentication is very straightforward; it involves using two or more steps of verification when logging into an account, the first of which will usually be the password. After the correct password has been entered, a next step is initiated, which usually comes in the form of a passcode that can be sent to a filed phone number, or email address. This ensures the person entering the password is the person in control of the account.
It’s also possible for that second, or even third level of authentication to take the form of a biometric. Fingerprints or face ID scans are now commonly used as part of security on mobile devices. All of this is good for keeping accounts secure and hackers at bay because anyone can guess, or gain access to a password, but those extra layers of security ensure it’s never as easy as that.
The Threats We Face and How MFA Can Mitigate Them
There are a number of hackers and cyber criminals using increasingly sophisticated means to breach the security systems of business both big and small. But it’s a relatively simple thing that they tend to target: human error.
It’s so easy for an unsuspecting employee to click the wrong link in an email and hand their login details to cyber criminals. It happens all the time, and it’s why employee education regarding cyber threats is so important.
But no matter how many times an employee makes that kind of mistake, it won’t matter at all if there’s multi-factor authentication in place. Even if the hacker has the login details they need, they won’t be able to log in if they have to also go through further steps of verification involving passcodes sent to particular phone numbers and email addresses, or biometric verification steps.
The Rise in Remote Working Makes These Issues All the More Pressing
With employees working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more important to ensure extra security measures are in place. When employees are less closely supervised, mistakes like the ones discussed above only become more common. Businesses are still adapting to the new realities of remote working, but one facet that no business can afford to ignore, is secure remote access, and cybersecurity.
If you want to make sure that your business is properly protected as you adapt to this new and unprecedented situation, multi-factor authentication offers a viable solution. Hackers are increasingly attempting and succeeding at targeting businesses with outdated security standards as a result of their need to adapt quickly to remote working, and to update their security system.
MFA Presents a Simple and Effective Solution
The great thing about MFA as a solution to the security threats and risks that your business faces today is that it’s very simple. Setting it up doesn’t necessitate any external hardware. And there are managed IT service providers that can assist you with setting up MFA in the correct and proper way. It’s a lot easier than most business owners and managers think, and it offers a tested solution to the problem.
Even Microsoft has made it clear that more people and businesses should make use of MFA in order to protect themselves. They believe that 99.9% of security breaches can be stopped in their tracks with this one simple change. It’s a low risk change resulting in potentially huge long-term savings for the business if it helps to avert a security breach.
There are so many cyber threats out there today, and being able to combat these issues effectively is something that you’ll need to address. Multi-factor authentication is definitely a tried and tested approach to security applicable to all devices, as well as working alongside a professional managed service provider to provide technical advice and support.
