What is two-factor authentication and why is it so important?

Two-factor authentication is the ever-growing and crucially important step to creating the ultimate security for yourself online. For many years, online accounts were protected only by the basic level of security that a single password provides, leaving people vulnerable to hacking and security breaches. Despite the dangers of such a basic security system, it has taken a long time to get to a point where 2FA is mainstream and people are now becoming more aware of the importance of online protection and security.

2FA is essential for higher-value online accounts, such as email accounts. This is because email accounts act as a route whereby passwords to all other accounts can be reset by cybercriminals; the results of having an email account hacked can be colossal, and the consequences can take a very long time to repair. The end goal of 2FA is that one day we will achieve a place of not using passwords for anything, which will mean a far safer user experience.

Hardy and strong authentication for online accounts are absolutely essential in protecting your data and information from cybercriminals.  When we use just a password, we are leaving ourselves open and vulnerable to hacking and phishing, meaning there is a high chance that our accounts can fall into the wrong hands.  Passwords are inherently weak as we tend to use the same ones across multiple accounts – it would simply be impossible to keep track if we didn’t.  This leaves us open to what is referred to as ‘credential stuffing’, where the same information is entered on multiple devices to find where people have used the same login details.  This, of course, can lead to accounts being breached and wrongfully accessed.

This is where 2FA comes in, ridding us of these kinds of password issues almost entirely by adding another factor.  This means that there is another step that the user must take in order to access their account; this can be anything, from a fingerprint or facial recognition to one-time passcodes or security keys that can be accessed through your email account or another device.  These kinds of authentication increase your security without causing massive inconvenience, providing an easy way to ensure that none of your accounts is breached.

As stated before, 2FA becomes important when an account, such as an email account, is the route for other kinds of security such as password resets.  However, there has also been a surge of need for stronger authentication over the past two years as more and more people have had to work from home.  Even as we move back into the workplace now, many businesses are continuing to keep people working at home at least some of the time, meaning that office-level online security now needs to be accessed in the home office in order to reduce the risk of data breaches and leaks.  The best and most simple way for companies to protect corporate online accounts is, without a doubt, the use of 2FA.

Two-Factor Authentication is a key security measure for any company to take. It helps protect against unauthorized access to data and devices by requiring a second form of identification before someone can get in. In this article, we will guide you through the benefits of two-factor authentication and how it can help your company better secure its assets.

The following are some benefits of implementing two-factor authentication:

Two-Factor Authentication is a key security measure for any company to take. It helps protect against unauthorized access to data and devices by requiring a second form of identification before someone can get in. In this article, we will guide you through the benefits of two-factor authentication and how it can help your company better secure its assets.

As we become more and more reliant on digital services, applications and platforms, the risk of cyber attacks grows.

To take the first steps towards a more cyber secure business – schedule a free consultation with one of the cyber security experts today.