Many cyber-attacks aim to gain access to our passwords and login details. It’s almost impossible to fully protect against it, but it is possible to significantly reduce the risk. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective measures one can take securing one’s accounts and information. In order to succeed with a cyber-attack, an attacker will then need all the factors to log into an account. So, the more factors, the higher the security. A good move is to enable MFA where possible.
The different factors of multi-factor authentication are often referred to as:
- Something you know – for example, username or password.
- Something you have – like a one-time code in an app or code generator.
- Something you are – for example facial recognition.
As MFA becomes more common, attackers are increasing their efforts to steal not only passwords, but also one-time codes. For example, they can impersonate a service you use and contact you with a fake authentication request.
There are two simple steps to further minimize the risk of a data breach:
- Only accept MFA requests that you expect.
- Use an authenticator app or code generator when possible.
The challenge is being able to persevere and be consistent - all year round. We’ve just launched the 2023 version of Junglemap's Information Security Awareness course, which aims to create and maintain an increased awareness over time.
Because at the end of the day, that's what information security is all about. Security isn’t something you as a company have just because the technology is in place. It's ultimately about what your employees do. With NanoLearning, we overcome the forgetting curve and reduce the risks.
