Top SMB Defense: Multifactor Authentication

  • Share:
August 31, 2022
Multifactor authentication (MFA)—the security technique that verifies login attempts with an additional layer or validation, such as a code sent by text message—is the simplest, most effective protection against cybercrime for small- to medium-size businesses (SMBs), according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA.)

GettyImages-1368954963-2.jpg

Yet most SMBs do not use MFA as a cybersecurity defense, according to the Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI). A recent CRI study of 1,400 SMBs discovered two alarming facts:
  • 55% of the companies surveyed have not implemented MFA
  • Of those businesses using MFA, less than a third require employees to use it
“We know nearly all account compromise attacks can be stopped outright, just by using MFA. It’s a proven, effective way to thwart bad actors,” Karen Evans of CRI told The Wall Street Journal.
So why so little engagement by SMBs?
One theory is that technical terms such as MFA are often confusing and may muddy the messaging around cybersecurity. That’s one reason why the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) promotes awareness and education about effective tactics and best practices.
We fully embrace and encourage NIST’s efforts, including its five-step cybersecurity process that entails the following:
  1. Identify
  2. Protect
  3. Detect
  4. Respond
  5. Recover
If your company does not incorporate these essential practices, your IT infrastructure is likely at risk. TeamLogic IT can help you ensure you put these and other best practices in place to fortify your cyber defenses.

Resources | TeamLogic IT
Contact:
Daniela Hansen, Owner
dhansen@TeamLogicIT.com, (561) 460-4081