Information Security is a constant battle. 2020 saw a huge rise in identity theft, IRS fraud, ransomware attacks both private and public, email compromise, public breaches… the list goes on. Every piece of our daily lives can be subject to these breaches, hacks, or incidents at a moment’s notice.
Sounds pretty exhausting, right? Overwhelming? Sure! But protecting yourself is easier than you think.
What can the average user or employee do to in this constantly changing battle? The answer is elegantly simple: Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) reduces breaches and security incidents by almost 99%.
MFA is a concept that is getting a lot of discussion at the moment, but its use is by no means new. Do you use a bank or ATM card? Whenever you’ve visited an ATM, you’ve used MFA!
MFA simply means you must have 2 different ways (i.e., factors) to prove you are who you say you are.
- Something you know – username and password (login & network password, Email & Microsoft 365 password)
- Something you have – (cell phone, debit card, key fob, laptop)
Here is some quick info from Microsoft on patterns they’re seeing when it comes to compromising accounts:
Enabling MFA will undoubtedly improve your security posture and keep your accounts safe. Need help figuring out next steps? Give us a call!
Multi Factor Authentication Articles for Further Reading and Research
Microsoft Password Guidance (PDF)
Why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Is Important
