As the security burden increases and with cybercrime attacks becoming more sophisticated, the traditional username and password combination on their own no longer cut the mustard. Indeed, there have been many reports of them being stolen and used for a variety of criminal activities.
And with hybrid working practices now becoming more widespread, managing the security of your IT users is becoming increasingly challenging.
Cybercrime can take many forms including hacking, computer viruses, malware and spyware and can target your whole information and communications (ICT) infrastructure.
So, doesn’t it make sense to do everything that you can to protect your security to ensure business continuity?
One of the ways you can add an additional layer of protection is in the form of two-factor authentication (2FA).
2FA makes sure that people requesting access to an online account are in fact who they say they are. You still need to enter your username and password but then, rather than gaining immediate access to the account, you will be asked to provide another piece of information.
This additional piece of information can include your fingerprint, facial recognition or a one-time PIN generated by a 2FA verification tool, such as Microsoft Authenticator.
And many of the applications that you use to go about your business, such as Microsoft Office, already have 2FA functionality built in – you just need to ensure that it is enabled on your account. Once it is, then each time you login, you will then be prompted as to how you want to receive your one-time PIN, usually via text or email, then you simply enter this into the relevant authentication box.
As far as your password information is concerned, we recommend a password manager application for keeping your information safe and 2FA should be enabled on this also. A good example of this is Bitwarden.
2FA is important across all business sectors, although the drivers in certain segments are more urgent and regulatory, for example financial and legal.
While there is an additional layer of security involved, and therefore a bit of additional work to access online accounts, the benefits of having a more secure ICT infrastructure far outweigh the negatives of becoming a victim of cybercrime.
So rather than risk becoming part of the statistics, you should implement 2FA now.
We have access to numerous tools and applications to help you remain safe while online. Our cloud checker app enables us to check the security status of thousands of applications, so we can give you guidance as to the best applications for your business to keep your information safe.
For further information please email us or call on 01625 613 633.
