Do you have the right security solutions in place to protect your staff and customers? According to experts from Microsoft and Google, multi-factor authentication can prevent 99.9% of automated cyber-attacks.

In this article, we’ll be explaining what multi-factor authentication is, what the benefits are, what the limitations are, and also what it protects against. Read more below.

WHAT IS MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an important security measure that businesses should consider implementing. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide more than one form of identification when logging into systems or applications.

For example, a user might be required to enter their username and password, as well as a code that is sent to their mobile phone. This makes it much harder for someone to gain unauthorised access to business systems since they would need to have both the credentials and the physical device in order to log in.

In addition, MFA can also help businesses to comply with industry regulations around data security. For example, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requires businesses to use multi-factor authentication for any system that stores, processes, or transmits credit card information.

Implementing MFA can be a bit of an investment up front, but it can offer significant protection for businesses against data breaches and other security threats.

WHY SHOULD I USE MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION FOR MY BUSINESS?

Multi-factor authentication strengthens your business’s cyber security. Not only does it protect your website, but it protects your employees too. Having an extra layer of security reduces the risk of cyber-attacks on your business.

There are several different types of authentications, but the most common is two-factor authentication. This involves using something you know (such as a password) and something you have (such as a smartphone) to verify your identity.

Another type is biometric authentication, which uses physical or behavioural characteristics (such as your fingerprint or voice) to verify your identity.

MFA can be used to protect a variety of information, including:

• Employee login credentials
• Customer financial data
• Company trade secrets

Multi-factor authentication is not fool-proof, but it is much more effective than relying on a single factor (such as a password) to authenticate someone’s identity. By using these authentication measures, businesses can make it more difficult for unauthorised users to access sensitive data and help protect their organizations from fraud and cybercrime.

MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION LIMITATIONS

Unfortunately, there are a few limitations to multi-factor authentication that some people may find annoying. Adding this layer of defence does increase the time it takes to log on when using factors like a text message (SMS) or tokens. For example, if you were using the text message factor, the user would have to wait for a text message to log into the account. Depending on the time it takes the text message to send will depend on the time it takes to log on.

It can be quite resource intensive as it has complex integration and deployment. MFA also isn’t free and there are also fees associated with access management systems. However, the good news is that there is a wide range of MFA solutions that you can choose from to suit your budget and requirements. Its benefits also outweigh the negatives because it protects your business from certain cyber-attacks.

WHAT DOES MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION PROTECT AGAINST?

MFA protects you against a wide range of threats, including:

• Keyloggers – Keyloggers are pieces of software or hardware that track and record the keystrokes that a person types on their keyboard. This information can then be used to access sensitive information like passwords and bank account details. They can also be used maliciously, in order to steal people’s personal information.
• Phishing – Phishing is a type of online fraud where criminals pose as trustworthy organisations in order to trick people into giving them sensitive information. This can include anything from login credentials and credit card numbers to personal data.
• Spear Phishing – One of the most common phishing techniques is known as “spear phishing”, where criminals do their research ahead of time in order to target specific individuals or groups. They might pretend to be someone from your organisation, or even a friend or family member, in order to get you to click on a malicious link or attachment.
• Brute Force – A brute force attack is when someone tries every possible combination of characters to try and guess a password. This can be incredibly time-consuming, but if someone has enough computing power, they can eventually crack the code.
• Reverse Brute Force – Reverse brute force attacks are a variation of brute force attacks. This is when someone targets a specific user or group of users in order to crack their passwords. They do so by gathering as much information about the targets as possible, such as publicly available information.
• Man-In-The-Middle – A man-in-the-middle attack is when the attacker intercepts communication between two victims and impersonates both sides. This allows the attacker to eavesdrop on the conversation, or even alter the messages being exchanged.
• Credential Stuffing – Credential stuffing is when stolen usernames and passwords are used to gain access to accounts. Attackers can gain credential lists in a number of ways, such as through data breaches. Once they have a list of credentials, they can use them to automate login attempts on various websites.

There are many different authentication solutions available, and at Mint, we can help you find the best cyber security solution that suits your requirements. Implementing MFA can help you to keep your accounts safe and secure, so get in touch with us today.

CONTACT US

For market-leading technology and telecom solutions across the sectors of communications, connectivity, IT & the cloud, and print & document management, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our specialist team at Mint Technology today.

Call us on 01384 887733 or drop us an email at sales@wearemint.tech.