Cyber Security
Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multifactor authentication (MFA) is crucial because it significantly enhances security by requiring multiple forms of verification before granting access to accounts or systems. Adding layers between your people to your technology to keep the threat actors out of your process.
When you sign into your online accounts – a process we call “authentication” – you’re proving to the service that you are who you say you are. Traditionally or 1 factor authentication is done with a username and a password.
Unfortunately, that’s not a very good way to do it.
What is Multi Factor Authentication?
The modern means to protect your identity is to add multi-layers. The three most common factors are.
- Something you know (e.g. a PIN, password or passphrase);
- Something you have (e.g. a smartcard, physical token, authenticator app, SMS or email); and
- Something you are (e.g. a fingerprint, facial recognition or iris scan).
Why is Multi Factor Authentication so important?
MFA defends against the majority of password-related cyberattacks. Ultimately this is to add a barrier to protect your revenue, your intellectual property (IP) and your reputation.
How Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) works?
Here at the Qbit team, we can help implement and manage multiply MFA platforms. The most popular platforms we work with are Microsoft Entra ID, Cisco Duo and LastPass. Sometimes this is as a combination depending on your unique business requirements in people, process, technology and location.
This goes hand-in-hand with a authenticator app; Time-based one-time password (TOTP) is most popular like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Windows Hello, LastPass Authenticator and the Cisco Duo Authenticator app.
As an additional security layer HMAC-based one-time password (HOTP) this can be found with-in YubiKey and token’s provided by most reputable financial institutions.
Our goals here are simple. Protect your identity, make life hard for the threat actors, leverage existing technologies wherever possible.
Effective MFA Protection with Mobile Device DNA
Duo provides a highly secure MFA product using a push message, QR code, or one-time password (OTP); and our mobile device DNA matches the authorised user’s phone when granting access to systems and applications.
Broad Coverage with Web Single Sign On (SSO)
Stop worrying about remembering countless complex passwords. Duo’s secure single sign on (SSO) makes logins quick and easy. In addition WatchGuard’s ecosystem includes dozens of third party integrations with Duo – allowing companies to require users to authenticate before accessing sensitive Cloud applications, VPNs and networks.
Easy-to-Use Duo Mobile App
No need to carry key fobs or thumb drives; instead install and activate the Duo App in seconds, and then use it to authenticate from a smartphone.
A Low TCO Cloud-Based Service
Duo runs on the WatchGuard Cloud platform and is available from wherever you are. There is no need to install software, schedule upgrades or manage patches.