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I LOVE IT WHEN YOU TURN ME ON: MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION (MFA)

In an evolving digital world, securing your online accounts is critical. People often re-use the same passwords to ease the overbearing amount they need to remember, even between personal and work-related accounts. 

 

Unfortunately, recycling passwords between personal and professional use means you are not only making yourself but your company vulnerable to a breach. 

 

According to Microsoft, there is one method that protects 99.9% of irresponsibly managed passwords. And that method? Multifactor authentication. 

What is Multifactor Authentication(MFA)?

Multifactor authentication, or MFA short, is a highly effective, simple solution that protects hackers from gaining access to your devices, accounts, or sensitive information. 

 

MFA adds an additional method of authentication to your account that an attacker wouldn’t have access to, and therefore, can’t authenticate.

How does MFA protect my data and my privacy?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) enhances data security and privacy by requiring multiple forms of verification to grant access to an account or system. This additional layer of protection significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access, thereby safeguarding sensitive data and personal information.
 
MFA typically combines two or more of the following factors: something you know (e.g., a password), something you have (e.g., a mobile device or security token), and something you are (e.g., biometric data like fingerprint or facial recognition). By requiring multiple factors for authentication, MFA makes it significantly more difficult for unauthorised individuals to gain access to your data and personal information, even if they have obtained your password through a data breach or other means.
 
For example, if a hacker manages to obtain your password, they would still need to provide an additional form of verification, such as a code sent to your mobile device, in order to access your account. This added layer of security greatly reduces the likelihood of a successful breach, effectively protecting your data and privacy.
 
In summary, MFA protects your data and privacy by adding an extra barrier to unauthorised access, making it significantly more challenging for cybercriminals to compromise your accounts and access sensitive information.

The 3 main ways to authenticate your accounts:

Knowledge: something you know, such as a password on PIN

Possession: something you own, such as a phone or key

Biometric: something you are, such as a fingerprint or face / voice recognition

MFA combines 2 or more of the above methods to secure your account. Let’s say you have MFA turned on, and an adversary knows your password is “Tuesday12!”. Without a code sent to your mobile and email, your password alone would be enough for them to gain access to your account.  

 

While all the above may sound intimidating, implementing MFA is a simple process with little to no interruption for your business. Almost all leading software providers, including Microsoft 365, Google Workspaces and Xero have the option to enable MFA.

 

In fact, you’ve likely already worked with it before through personal services such as banking or government apps, so you know how easy it is to use. 

How can my Business Benefit from Multi-Factor Authentication?

Multifactor authentication (MFA) for businesses involves implementing an additional layer of security to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems. MFA requires users to provide two or more forms of authentication before granting access to an account or system, making it significantly more difficult for cybercriminals to gain access to your business’s data and systems.

 

Implementing MFA for your business typically involves the following steps:

Identify the systems and applications that require MFA: Determine which systems and applications contain sensitive data and require an additional layer of security.

Choose the appropriate MFA method: Select the MFA method that best suits your business needs and security requirements. This could include SMS-based authentication, mobile app-based authentication, hardware tokens, or biometric authentication.

Configure MFA for your systems and applications: Configure MFA for the identified systems and applications, ensuring that users are required to provide two or more forms of authentication before gaining access.

Educate users on MFA: Educate your employees on the importance of MFA and how to use it correctly. Provide clear instructions on how to set up and use MFA, and encourage employees to report any suspicious activity.

Monitor and update MFA regularly: Regularly monitor and update your MFA settings to ensure that they remain effective and up-to-date with the latest security standards.

In summary, implementing MFA for your business involves identifying the systems and applications that require an additional layer of security, choosing the appropriate MFA method, configuring MFA for your systems and applications, educating users on MFA, and monitoring and updating MFA regularly.

By implementing MFA, your business can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect sensitive data and systems from cyber threats.

If you haven’t already, we highly recommend enabling MFA across personal accounts such as banking apps, social media, emails or any other services you subscribe to.

If you aren’t already using MFA for your services, contact your service provider today to discuss implementing it across your tenant and other applications. If you have questions for us or require assistance with setting up MFA, contact us here.