You might have heard or read about multi-factor authentication, whether in your own accounts or maybe you heard about it while watching TV. You may have also heard it referred to MFA (multi-factor authentication), 2FA (two-factor authentication) or two-step verification.
You might be wondering, so what’s the big deal? In this article, I’ll explain multi-factor authentication and why you should use it on your accounts.
You might be saying, why do I need multi-factor authentication, I use a password, isn’t that good enough? Having only a password set up on your account is called single-factor authentication or SFA for short.
You might be saying, so not only now do I have to remember a password, but now I have to add an EXTRA step to my login process? Yes and no, but most will pass and say no thanks, having a password is hard enough. Well, let me try to convince you about MFA and its benefits.
Let’s look at some statistics. A lot of people use Microsoft, whether for work or school. Take a look at this insanely high statistic from Microsoft: 99.9% of attacks can be prevented if MFA is enabled.
If that didn’t hit it home for you, let’s look at another statistic from The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CISA is a United States federal agency that helps to protect against cybersecurity threats by working with industry partners to create a safer and more resistant cyber-environment.
Back in August of 2021, CISA added Single-Factor Authentication (just signing in with a password, for example) for remote or administrative access systems to the list of Bad Practices. This can be just as important for your personal accounts as well, especially in protecting your identity.
Now you might ask, how does this work for my accounts? You can use Microsoft Authenticator, which is an app (it’s free!) that assists you with signing into your accounts, whether they are Microsoft accounts (personal, work, or school) or other types of accounts you may have.
According to Microsoft, it can work in three ways:
- You don’t have to remember your passwords to sign in as it can check your sign in if you forget
- You can sign in using a one-time passcode which will enhance your accounts security (known as multi-factor authentication or two-step verification).
- Going password less – this becomes the only way to sign in which occurs by you just hitting an approval on your phone to sign in.
You can get Authenticator here (for iOS and Android). From there add your account and learn how to sign in!
It’s that easy. There of course are other options for MFA but this is a good and simple way to get started.
Now you can feel confident that your accounts are safe guarded against the evergreen efforts of attackers trying to hack accounts.
Happy authenticating!
References
CISA. (2024). Product security bad practices. CISA. Retrieved from https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/product-security-bad-practices
Maynes, M. (2019). One simple action you can take to prevent 99.9 percent of attacks on your accounts. Microsoft. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2019/08/20/one-simple-action-you-can-take-to-prevent-99-9-percent-of-account-attacks/?msockid=10f4780bd11c6f4124fa6c66d0856ec3
Microsoft. (2024). About Microsoft Authenticator. Microsoft. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/about-microsoft-authenticator-9783c865-0308-42fb-a519-8cf666fe0acc
Microsoft. (2024). Download Microsoft Authenticator. Microsoft. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/download-microsoft-authenticator-351498fc-850a-45da-b7b6-27e523b8702a
Microsoft. (2024). How to add accounts to Microsoft Authenticator. Microsoft. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-add-your-accounts-to-microsoft-authenticator-92544b53-7706-4581-a142-30344a2a2a57
Microsoft. (2024). Sign in using Microsoft Authenticator. Microsoft. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/sign-in-using-microsoft-authenticator-582bdc07-4566-4c97-a7aa-56058122714c
About Nichole
Welcome to my blog, where I blend my 12 years of IT expertise with a passion for cybersecurity and health and wellness. As a Master’s student in Information Security, I offer in-depth insights and practical advice on the latest in IT and cybersecurity. Additionally, I share valuable tips on maintaining a healthy work-life balance, inspired by my experiences as a mother of two, including raising a special needs child. Whether you’re a business seeking expert content or an individual looking for reliable information, my blog is your go-to resource for staying informed and empowered. Feel free to check out my services and contact me!