Most breaches come from lost or stolen credentials, making strong password strategies a critical line of defense. Even if you and your staff follow password best practices like using pass-phrases, using a minimum of 12 characters, and using a different password for each application, bad actors are still targeting you with phishing attempts that trick you into handing your best-practice password over voluntarily. Implementing multifactor authentication (MFA) can block nearly ALL account compromise attacks.
Password theft is evolving and anyone can fall victim to bad actors using keylogging, phishing, or farming to steal credentials. It’s not just your own network that can host these attacks. Vendors that hold your business data are high-profile targets as well and not immune to similar password stealing efforts. Staff that access your business applications through personal devices may also be at greater vulnerability as their personal networks likely have fewer security protections installed.
In addition to protecting your own business data, many state laws require you to have strong authentication processes in place if you handle and store sensitive data like personal addresses or financial or health information. MFA helps make sure you are compliant with identity and access management regulations, such as SOX and HIPAA.
MFA provides an extra security barrier that makes it incredibly difficult for attackers to get past. With MFA, knowing or cracking the password will not be enough to gain access. There has to be a second validation of something you know, have, or are before you are allowed access to a website, network, or application. Something you know could include additional passwords or PINs. Something you have is a physical object, such as a device, key, or smart card. Something you are is a biometric verification like a fingerprint, facial scan, or voice recognition.
By verifying your users’ identities before they access your network, MFA protects your applications and data against unauthorized access. MFA solutions are relatively inexpensive and easy to deploy and provide simple, but effective protection of your network. Pearl Solutions Group can help you source and implement a MFA solution and help with your overall cybersecurity strategy.
