Implementing MFA is one of the most important steps you can take to secure your organization’s data and protect your business against losses due to cybercrime. A common example of 2FA is the need to input both personal user login credentials and a one-time passcode sent via email or text message to a mobile device. One of the most popular modern applications of MFA best practices is 2-factor authentication (2FA), a form of MFA that requires two layers of authentication.

The complexity of verifying your identity in multiple ways, often using more than one registered device, means only the right people should have access to information. MFA works by combining two or more different types of identification factors, such as a user’s login ID and password combination (what a user knows), an ID card (what a user has), and biometric data of a user’s fingerprint (who a user is). MFA is a multi-step process that verifies identity and access rights to a piece of software, a file, or a hardware device. “It’s ridiculous how many of these attacks come in because someone didn’t turn on MFA…time and time again if they would have just switched on 2FA, some of these attacks wouldn’t have been possible.” Nicole PerlrothĪuthor & Cybersecurity Reporter, Lex Friedman Podcast, Feb 20, 2022 In fact, MFA is now mandatory for federal agencies that collect sensitive personal information on U.S. Some regulatory bodies now require MFA implementation to reduce the risk of cybercrime. MFA implementation continues to see increased adoption across all industries and geographies as companies and consumers see the benefits of enhanced security. Additionally, as organizations worldwide continue to see an increased need for remote access for employees, MFA provides enhanced security in situations that present vulnerabilities, such as employees using personal devices and unsecured WiFi connections to access organizational data. Any organization with personal, restricted, or valuable information that can be accessed online could benefit from MFA, given the prevalence and evolution of cybercrime.Īdding an extra layer of identity verification with MFA helps prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to your employees’ accounts with stolen or weak passwords. Microsoft, the world’s largest software company and a leading cybersecurity research organization, found that MFA can eliminate 99% of account compromise attacks. Multifactor authentication is one of the easiest and least burdensome ways to enhance your organization’s cybersecurity.

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