By having Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), a company’s security will be improved immensely and with the added layer of verification, it will deter the risk of a successful cyber-attack. Implementing the use of MFA means that business can conduct their work without the constant worry of cyber criminals hacking their software.
Today’s world is far more digital than it was ten years ago due to the growth of technology and the pandemic also forced businesses to adapt to technology that would usually take them a couple of years to implement in the office. Digital Multi-Factor Authentication is just one of those newer technologies that is helping keep businesses protected and secure.
With the use of digital evolution becoming more prominent in the office, employees are having to create more usernames and passwords for new accounts which is why Multi-Factor Authentication is essential. No matter the amount of credentials an employee has, they can rely on things such as MFA to increase their security and give them the peace of mind to carry out their work effectively.
Personal & Unknown Devices
Employees that choose to work remotely or who have switched to hybrid working sometimes prefer to use their personal devices to complete their day-to-day work tasks, but by using their own devices and using a less secure internet connection, employees unknowingly make their company an easy target for cyber criminals to try and gain access to private and confidential information. This is why MFA is essential so that businesses don’t have to be in a state of panic all the time over the security of their private information and documents when an employee works from home part or full time.
Hackers are always trying to gain access to an employee’s personal device with the main goal of apprehending a company’s private information (i.e. documents and account details). With the added layer of MFA, cybercriminals using unknown devices trying to take hold of business information will be halted in their tracks and the employee will be sent a notification asking if they are trying to get into an account. After confirming that it is NOT them, then the cybercriminal will be denied access and shut out.
Other Security Safeguards
A company can have all the best security safeguards in the world on their devices, including anti-virus software, firewalls, etc, however, these security measures still have loopholes in them that cyber criminals like to exploit. For example, stolen information can give a hacker direct access into a system without being flagged as a threat leaving them to wreak havoc on important systems and steal business information before anyone notices a problem.
MFA is essential to be the first defence before any other security measures, this way hackers are prevented from gaining access by using stolen usernames and passwords. MFA allows the other security safeguards to focus on main security issues and makes employees more alert to sign-ins they didn’t request for which trains their mind to be more aware of what they approve in the future.
Weak Passwords
Weak, repeating or commonly used passwords are the easiest ways a hacker can break into a company’s systems and cause all sorts of problems from stealing credentials, stealing / deleting important documents, and installing viruses and malware. With everything more digital and people are having to remember more passwords, it’s easy for most to fall into the same trap of using easy-to-remember passwords that usually hold personal information that can be found easily by a hacker if they search through someone’s social media account.
This is why it is essential to use MFA to protect company passwords because even if a hacker obtains someone’s weak password, they still won’t be able to get into the account they’re trying to hack, as they would need the specific type of authentication that has been set up by the main user.
These are just some of the many reasons as to why implementing MFA is essential in the work environment to secure all confidential documents. The consequences of not doing so could be very severe for a company, for example if their documents or files could fall victim to ransomware and get held for ransom then it could cost the company possibly millions to get them back.
Instead of waiting for a cyber-attack to happen, introduce MFA to you colleagues now and teach them how they themselves can take that extra step in protecting the company.
If you would like to find out more about Multi-Factor Authentication and why it’s essential that your business implements it, then why not contact us today via email or call us on 01329 888444.
