What is MFA?

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security procedure designed to ensure that only a person’s authorized username and password combination can be used to access a service. It involves the use of two or more of identity verification methods to gain access, such as a combination of passwords, biometrics, or physical tokens. The purpose of MFA is to make it much more difficult for criminals to gain access to an individual or organization’s information and disrupt their activities.

How Does MFA Work?

When an individual attempts to log in to an application or system, MFA requires them to provide two or more types of authentication methods to prove their identity before granting access. This can include verifying a possession (such as a device or personal identification number) as well as personal characteristics like fingerprints, face geometry, or an iris scan. The various forms of authentication are combined to create an extra layer of security stricter than any single measure alone.

Why Should Organizations Consider MFA?

MFA is beneficial for organizations because it helps protect them from the many risks of digital fraud and identity theft. With the increased digitization of our lives, personal information is believed to be at an all-time high risk as data breaches, identity theft, and malicious attacks become more and more common. MFA works by providing additional protection that cannot be simply bypassed by a criminal getting ahold of an individual’s username and password information. It reduces the chances of someone else being able to gain access to an application or system using stolen credentials.

Furthermore, MFA also helps organizations protect their most sensitive data, such as financial details or customer data, without adversely affecting user experience. In addition to providing additional levels of security, MFA is also seen as less intrusive than traditional passwords as it focuses on verifying the user’s identity with extended methods of authentication.

Finally, organizations should consider MFA to stay compliant with data protection regulations such as the GDPR. The new laws require organizations to have in place “appropriate technical and organizational measures” to protect personal data, including robust authentication measures.MFA is an effective and efficient way of meeting these requirements.