Why you need two-factor authentication (2FA)

The world as we knew it changed drastically in 2020 and since then, the UK workforce had to adapt to working from home. Because of this, companies across the UK accelerated their plan to move to a cloud-based workplace, and some business owners ventured into the world of cloud working for the first time.

Even though security measures are in place with most remote working solutions, the downfall of a business can be caused by your passwords. The increased threat of cyber attacks and malicious emails in 2020 demonstrated that it is essential to take measures to safeguard your organisation.

A report in April 2020 revealed that as many as 16.5 brits fell victim to cyber crime over the past year, costing organisations a staggering £1.4 million in total. One of the ways that you can enhance the security of your business, wherever you are working, is with the integration of two-factor authentication.

What is Two-Factor Authentication?

Two-factor authentication (2FA), otherwise known as two-step verification or dual-factor authentication, is a security process in which a user will provide two different authentication factors to verify themselves. Usually, this method will rely on a user providing a password, as well as a second factor, either a security token or a biometric factor, such as a fingerprint or facial scan.

How does Two-Factor Authentication work?

Here is how two-factor authentication works:

Step one: The user is prompted to log in by the application or website.

Step two: The user enters their login credentials, in which the system will search for a match and recognise the user.

Step three: The application or website will then prompt the user to initial a second login step.

Step four: The user will enter a code or accept a prompt that is shown to them in step three.

Step five: After completing both steps of authentication, the user will be granted access to the application or website.

The steps are pretty easy, right? By doing this, you are adding on a few extra seconds when logging into your system, but that few extra seconds is providing substantially more protection against cyber attacks.

Why is Two-Factor Authentication important?

Passwords have been the mainstream form of authentication since the start of the digital revolution. However, the number one cause of a data breach is due to stolen or weak credentials, in which cyber criminals will use hacking and social engineering attacks to gather said details.

Here are some worrying facts:

–  51% of people use the same passwords for both work and personal accounts

–  57% of people who have already been scammed still haven’t changed their passwords

–  90% of passwords can be cracked in less than 6 hours

–  33% of account-compromised customers have stopped doing business with companies and websites that had a data breach.

Far too many users rely on a password which could be very easily guessed or is used across multiple accounts, which also puts you at risk as not every system has the same level of security. If any one of these systems becomes compromised and your password is leaked, this would also compromise logins for other systems that use the same password.

For businesses, if one of your employee’s account credentials were to be hacked or leaked, such as their emails or login details to company software, then your entire business system would be compromised. The UK GDPR and DPA set a maximum fine of £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover for infringements, such as a data breach.

The vulnerability of passwords is the main reason for requiring and using 2FA. By implementing 2FA, the chances of your business failing victim to a data breach is drastically reduced.

Take Action with 2FA

In an increasingly interconnected world, threats such as a data breach will only become more prevalent as time goes on. The likelihood of the workplace returning back to the office full-time is questionable and as UK businesses plan ahead, remote working may very well become the new norm.

With the combination of working remotely and the rise in cyber attacks, the implementation of two-factor authentication for your system is a crucial aspect to the survival of your business.

2FA on Citadel’s Hosted Desktop

Every company needs comprehensive IT measures that lock everything behind multiple layers of security. That’s why with Citadel’s Hosted Desktop, we implement two-factor authentication into all of our systems, as well as other essential security measures.

If you require an IT system that allows you to just work from anywhere, anytime and on any device, backed and secured with extensive security management, then contact the Citadel Technology team today.

Call: 0345 340 2120

Submit an enquiry: https://citadel.tech/contact-us/