As cyber-attacks advance in sophistication, small businesses must protect their sensitive information and data. One of the best ways to do protect data is by implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) into their IT infrastructure. In the following blog, we’ll explore multi-factor authentication, how it provides an additional layer of security, and why small businesses should consider implementing it.

Multi-factor authentication is a method of authentication that requires using multiple forms of identification to gain access to a system or network. MFA contrasts with traditional single-factor authentication, which relies on a single form of identification, such as a password.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can confirm the identity of remote employees accessing company resources by requiring multiple forms of identification before granting access. Following are a few ways in which MFA can verify the identity of remote employees:

• Something you know: An example could be a password, PIN, or a security question. Remote employees would need to provide MFA information to access company resources.
• Something you have: An example could be a phone, a security token, or a smart card. Remote employees would need to have there device in their possession to access company resources.
• Something you are: An example could be a fingerprint or facial recognition. Remote employees must have MFA features enabled on their devices to access company resources.
• Time-based One-time password (TOTP): Remote employees would need to enter the one-time password generated by an app to access company resources.
• Push notifications: Remote employees must confirm the login request via push notification on their phone or device.

By requiring multiple forms of identification, MFA makes it difficult for cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to a system or network, even if they have obtained one form of identification, such as a password. MFA can also help protect against common cyber threats such as phishing and social engineering, as it makes it difficult for cybercriminals to impersonate legitimate users.

MFA can also confirm the identity of remote employees accessing company resources by requiring multiple forms of identification before granting access, adding an additional layer of security and making it difficult for cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to company resources.

Multi-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security by making it difficult for cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to a system or network. Even if a cybercriminal can obtain one form of identification, such as a password, they will still be able to access the system with the other forms of identification.

MFA can also help protect against common cyber threats such as phishing and social engineering, as it makes it difficult for cybercriminals to impersonate legitimate users.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) and Multi-factor authentication (MFA) are both methods of authentication that require the use of multiple forms of identification to gain access to a system or network. However, there are some critical differences between the two.

2FA is a type of MFA, which means that 2FA is a subset of MFA and all 2FA is MFA but not all MFA is 2FA. 2FA requires using two forms of identification, while MFA can require using three or as many forms of identification as required.

The table below compares the differences between 2FA and MFA:

Business Email and MFA

Email is a crucial technology area that should always have Multi-factor authentication (MFA) implemented.

• Risks of not having MFA on email:
  • Increased likelihood of falling victim to phishing scams: without MFA, cybercriminals can easily impersonate legitimate users and trick employees into providing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial information.
  • Data loss: Without MFA, cybercriminals can easily gain unauthorized access to an email account and steal or delete sensitive information, leading to potential data loss.
  • Increased risk of ransomware attacks: Without MFA, cybercriminals can easily gain unauthorized access to an email account and deploy ransomware, which can encrypt and lock sensitive information, making it inaccessible.
• To mitigate these risks, businesses should consider implementing MFA on email and other key technology areas and working with Managed IT Services providers to ensure that their IT systems and infrastructure are secure and compliant. Managed IT services providers can also assist businesses in evaluating different options for MFA and provide support and advice on best practices for securing email and other key technology areas.

ThinkCyberIT Managed IT Services

ThinkCyberIT IT Managed Services can ensure that businesses have Multi-factor authentication (MFA) configured correctly in several ways:

1. IT service providers can assist businesses in evaluating different options for MFA and guide the most appropriate solution for their organization.
2. Cybersecurity professionals can work with businesses to determine which systems and applications within the organization require MFA and ensure that they are configured correctly.
3. ThinkCyberIT can provide regular monitoring and maintenance of MFA systems to ensure that they work as intended and that any potential vulnerabilities are identified and addressed.
4. IT service providers can conduct regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to check the effectiveness of MFA and identify any weaknesses.
5. ThinkCyberIT  Cybersecurity professionals can provide incident response and disaster recovery services to ensure that businesses are prepared for a security breach, including developing incident response plans, training, testing, and providing support during and after a security incident.
6. Cybersecurity professionals can work with businesses to create and implement policies and procedures for using MFA and ensure that all employees are properly trained in how to use MFA.
7. IT service providers can provide regular reporting and analytics on MFA systems to ensure that businesses can identify any areas of weakness and make any necessary adjustments.

ThinkCyberIT can ensure businesses have MFA configured correctly.