On the eleventh day of cybersecurity use multi-factor logins

What if someone gets a hold of your computer’s password? Your phone’s PIN? The answer is simple: they have access to your data. In the case of your phone or tablet, that means they have your personal (or perhaps business) contact lists emails. The list of information available on your computer is longer, and the items that can be stolen are unpleasant to contemplate.

Modern devices, especially mobile electronics, have multi-factor authentication (MFA) capabilities, and you should use them. Requiring two forms of identification in order to access your electronics makes it harder for criminals to steal your information.

Log-in options for multi-factor authentication (MFA) are usually a combination of what you have + YOU. Here are some examples.

You have a…	YOUR…
Password	Face
Mobile device	Voice
PIN	Fingerprints
Pattern
A hardware key (like a special thumb drive)

 

When you combine one from each column you make it much more difficult for someone to use your devices. While someone might have your PIN, password, or security pattern, they don’t have your face or your finger. Without a second type of identification, they’re locked out.

No log-in or access method is 100% secure, but MFA is many times better than using a password or PIN alone. Adding that extra step keeps you and your data much safer.

You may have noticed that many websites (like online banking) and software packages now require an MFA. This is a great time to adopt the practice in your business, since you are already using it elsewhere.