As cases of pandemic-related phishing attacks, brute force attacks, ransomware, and credential stuffing increase, the greater the chances of your organization’s networks and data being compromised. One of the easiest – but often neglected – ways to reduce your exposure to these attacks is to require Multi-Factor Authentication on all accounts where log-in credentials are required.
“As hackers look to target less tech-savvy users that are new to working at home, Multi-Factor Authentication stops hackers in their tracks,” writes Dan Conrad in HelpNetSecurity.com
Nashville, Louisville, and Bowling Green cybersecurity service provider ImageQuest defines Multi-Factor Authentication as a security system that verifies a user’s identity by asking for multiple credentials. Instead of just asking for a user name and password, it requires any or a combination of the following: things you know (codes generated by mobile apps, codes sent to an email address, PINs, or answers to security questions), things you have (physical devices, soft tokens or certificates), and things you are (fingerprints, facial recognition, or retina scanning). The latest Multi-Factor Authentication solutions take into consideration context and behavior during the verification process. It identifies, for example, where you are when you tried to get access (whether it was at home, in a coffee shop, or overseas), when it took place (daytime as against midnight), and what device was used (mobile phone versus a laptop).
Multi-factor authentication could be essential to renewing your business’s cyber insurance. Due to the rise in attacks, insurers continually scrutinize their customers’ security measures. According to Insurance Journal, a cyber insurance agency was offering a lower deductible for businesses implementing multi-factor authentication.
Regardless of size, companies incur losses amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars due to data security breaches. Multi-Factor Authentication creates additional layers of security to ensure that the user requesting access is actually who they claim to be. Akin to locking your doors or activating your home’s alarm system, setting it up helps protect what’s important to you.
ImageQuest is a cybersecurity service expert serving Nashville, Louisville, and Bowling Green. Visit ImageQuest online or call 888.979.2679 for more information.