• Username + Password != 2FA

    What are MFA, 2FA, and why do we need them?

     

    Spaceballs Gif

     

    “Something you know, something you have, something you are.”   This is stated by Multi-Factor Authentication enthusiasts all over the web. They are ways of identifying yourself for the purpose of gaining access to a system.  Examples of these would be your username/password combination, a OTP (One Time Password) sent be SMS or authenticator app, and biometrics.  2FA is of course a subset of MFA.  It uses two factors to authenticate your logon.  AND NO, USERNAME + PASSWORD ARE NOT TWO FACTORS.

    Compared to single factor authentication, MFA ensures that your accounts are much better protected. “99.9% less likely to be compromised” is found on Microsoft based on their records of 99.9% of compromised accounts not using MFA.  This was stated by Alex Weinert, Director of Identity Security at Microsoft at a recent cyber security conference.

     

    MFA

     

    Perhaps even more disturbing is that there is ONLY AN 11% MFA ADOPTION RATE AMONG ENTERPRISE CLOUD USERS.  It’s not like we keep important data in our business emails.  We also don’t use these same emails as recovery addresses for other business related online accounts.  Joking aside, we are almost asking for security breaches.

     

    Why aren’t you using Multi-factor Authentication?

    We live in times where ransomware, social engineering, and other cyber attacks are on the rise.  By not utilizing multi-factor authentication, you are doing the equivalent of using 1-2-3-4-5 as your combination on your luggage.  Something almost as bad is re-using the same couple of passwords everywhere.  Your password expired?  Just update it from SecurePW1! to SecurePW2@ and it will meet complexity requirements and be super secure, right?

    The practical issue with using very complicated passwords is that they are very difficult to remember by design.  This is where a password manager is very helpful.  You don’t want to be the person with a bunch of sticky notes on your monitor with login credentials written on them.

     

    password image - sticky notes on a monitor

     

    You can generate very secure passwords as seen in the LastPass example below, and store them in a vault.

     

    Last Pass

     

    Combined with a complicated password, using MFA will make it much harder for bad actors to impersonate you.  Most online services these days give the option of enabling multi-factor authentication.  Examples are business apps like Office 365, Google Apps/Gmail, your work’s VPN application, and even personal apps like your bank, Amazon, or Facebook offer this.  Your password manager is also a very good candidate to enable MFA.

     

    How can you get started?

     

    First, you need another factor for authentication.  Hardware devices such as RSA SecureID or Yubico’s YubiKey are good choices if you really want to take things seriously.  You can also just use an app.  Popular apps such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, and Lastpass Authenticator are all good examples.

    Next, head over to your favorite application and log in.  Usually in the same place in the settings area where you would change a password, there should be an option to enable 2FA/MFA/2-step verification/etc.  While you’re at it, you should probably change your password if it isn’t complex or you haven’t done so in a while.

    Just follow the instructions to enable MFA.  This will vary slightly depending on application.  In general, you’ll select your authenticator app or hardware key when prompted.  If using an authenticator app, you will need to scan a QR code to add that account.  Once you complete the setup, enjoy knowing that your security posture has been greatly improved.

    Need help enabling MFA on your business applications such as Office 365 or your VPN client?  Contact us today.  Our friendly Zunesis engineers are here to help!

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