Imagine a scenario where your password has been stolen by a hacker. Now your accounts are completely at the mercy of them. What do you do? Obviously you want to change the password, but are you going to learn from this mistake or let it happen again in the future? Thankfully, two-factor authentication offers a solution to this dilemma, and it’s one that you might not have considered in the past.
What is Two-Factor Authentication?
Two-factor authentication can be defined as any method of secondary authentication that is used to access an online account or a device. Think of it as an additional layer of security for important information. It basically makes it so that a hacker effectively needs not just one credential to access an account, but two; one of these is often much more difficult for a hacker to obtain, making account infiltration impossible under the right circumstances.
Why is it Important?
For one, you cannot rely on passwords to protect your business anymore. While it may have been possible to get by like this in the past, it simply won’t cut it when hackers have access to such advanced technology. Hackers often don’t directly steal passwords, but utilize today’s advanced technology to perform brute-force attacks, guessing millions of passwords over a timeframe to crack your code and expose your account.
If you have a two-factor authentication method that requires a secondary code sent to a mobile device, then you’re basically making it so hard for a hacker to infiltrate your account that they basically can’t do it unless they have physical access to this secondary credential. Some of the most common forms of two-factor authentication include biometrics like fingerprint or face recognition software, as well as codes sent to secondary devices or email accounts. It’s just one way you can optimize security for your business’ important data.
Macatawa Technologies can help your organization implement a two-factor authentication system that maximizes security and works for you. To learn more, reach out to us at 616-394-4940.
