What is Two-Factor Authentication?

What is Two-Factor Authentication and Does My Company Need It?

Most Canadians are used to inputting a password to open their smartphones or login to their email account. They rarely give this simple authentication step much thought, unless they can’t remember their password.

Then they must deal with a series of additional authentication steps and eventually set up a new password. This can be a tiresome process and often results in the use of one simple password that can be easily remembered across multiple platforms. While this may seem like an ideal solution, this is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make when it comes to the threat of a cyber security data breach.

As a business owner, it’s essential that you think about the best way to protect your company’s sensitive information. Whether you’re working to protect data from internal threats or endpoint infiltration, utilizing a two-factor authentication method (2FA) is a great choice. Keep reading to learn more about two-factor authentication and the benefits this cyber security tool can offer your business.

What is Two-Factor Authentication?

Also referred to as dual-factor authentication or two-step verification, two-factor authentication is a security process that requires users to provide two separate authentication factors to verify their identity. This process not only works to better protect each users’ credentials but the different resources they can access as well. With this security measure, business owners can rely on a higher level of assurance than other more common single-factor authentication methods, like a simple password or passcode. Two-factor authentication methods ask that a user provides a login name and password, as well as a second verification factor. The second verification factor could be a secret question or image identification, a PIN, or even a biometric factor like a retina, facial, or fingerprint scan.

What are the Benefits of Two-Factor Authentication?

Internal IT departments and managed IT service providers are all battling to protect company networks from potential threats like hackers each day. And two-factor authentication has proven to be an effective tool to prevent data security breaches from ever taking place. Some of the biggest benefits of 2FA include:

Enhanced Security

Passwords are old technology that should be phased out over the next several years. Because they are difficult to remember, most people pick up a bad habit of using weak passwords that are easily hacked. But when companies use a second factor for verification, they automatically protect their users and their network with enhanced security.

Customization

While a super high-tech biometric authentication factor like a retina or fingerprint scan may be necessary for some companies, others may want something a little less involved. But that’s the real beauty of 2FA. You can choose which second verification factors make the most sense for your employees and require different levels of authentication for those with a higher security risk.

Reduce Helpdesk Costs

Did you know that password resets are one of the most common reasons that companies call into their IT support deck each year? In fact, one recent study showed that 30 percent of helpdesk tickets were created due to password resets. If your company chooses to replace simple one-factor passwords with a 2FA method, you will likely reduce your helpdesk costs as well.

Contact Pure IT

Interested in learning more about the benefits of investing in smarter security measures to protect your business network? Give us a call at (403) 444-1800 or contact our experienced IT specialists today for more information and be sure to schedule an initial consultation.