Cybersecurity Glossary
Multi Factor Authentication
Requiring a second proof of identity in addition to a password.
What Multi Factor Authentication means
Multi factor authentication asks for something you know plus something you have or something you are: a code from an app, a hardware key, a fingerprint. Not all factors are equal. Codes sent by text can be intercepted, push approvals can be spammed until someone taps accept, and hardware keys resist both.
Why Multi Factor Authentication matters for small businesses and nonprofits
It is the single highest value control available to a small organisation, and in most cases it costs nothing beyond the effort of enabling it. A stolen password stops being a breach and becomes an inconvenience.
What to do about Multi Factor Authentication
- Enable it on email and on your identity provider first, then on finance and remote access
- Prefer an authenticator app or a hardware key over text messages
- Turn on number matching so a stray approval tap cannot let someone in
Not sure where you stand on this?
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