We all know that we have to use passwords to protect our accounts at home and work. But, on their own, how much protection do they offer?
Many people reuse passwords or have multiple applications under one account (e.g., Google products).
Not you, of course, many others you have the best password, and you use it everywhere 🙂
And even though many employers require their staff to change their passwords to enhance security regularly, this is not always enough.
Passwords are vulnerable to theft.
Hackers use weak or stolen credentials in 95% of all web application attacks – in 2017, Google admitted that hackers stole almost 250,000 web logins each week. And any company can be affected by this, regardless of size. So passwords alone can’t protect you.
Suppose a hacker managed to get her hands on your password. In that case, all your information is available to her – Bank details, Company access, Healthcare, YouTube history, and more.
Don’t believe me, check your email at – https://haveibeenpwned.com
You should consider using Multifactor Authentication (MFA).
How MFA works
MFA blends at least two different types of information to confirm your identity when logging into an account. These pieces of information fall under three categories:
- Knowledge, such as a password or secret question
- Possession, e.g., one-time passwords (OTP) generated via an app or a text message
- Inherence, i.e., biometric data like fingerprints or facial recognition
Combining these different elements for verification makes it harder for hackers to fake an identity.
Many major software applications allow you to set up MFA. And with the increased use of smartphones that help facilitate MFA, user experience for digital security has improved massively.
And for companies looking to protect their data and their employees, particularly with the rise of remote working, there is plenty of identity security software to consider.