World Password Day: Get started with multi-factor authentication (MFA)
What is World Password Day?
World Password Day occurs on the first Thursday of May, and this year it falls on May 4th. It's a special day dedicated to password security: the importance of strong passwords and why you should change your passwords regularly.
Even one stray password can put our digital identities and personal information at risk and be exploited for digital attacks. Double check if you have a compromised user account here https://haveibeenpwned.com/.
So what better day than today to replace your passwords with strong ones?
Why you need strong passwords
Strong and secure passwords are crucial. When most of our work is done online, we need to protect access to our email accounts, customer portals, cloud platforms, archives and other important information with complex and unique passwords - that aren't easy to guess.
If you're one of those people with a password consisting of a capital letter, the number 2023 and an exclamation mark at the end, know that hackers can crack it in seconds.
A strong password contains upper and lower case letters, special characters and numbers. They shouldn't be identifiable with anything personal about you and contain a minimum of 16 characters. One tip is to think in sentences rather than words.
But even if a strong password is in place, it should also be changed regularly. Should your passwords be leaked in a data breach, you can still prevent access to sensitive information with a new, stronger password.
That's why we encourage you to use today to change your passwords. Sounds like a lot of hassle? Then we recommend that you simplify your everyday life by using a smart login system such as multi-factor authentication (MFA).
What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
MFA is a login system that requires two or more steps of authentication in order to log in. Instead of just asking for a username and password, MFA requires one or more additional verification factors, reducing the likelihood of a successful cyberattack.
Why is MFA important?
Passwords and how we handle them are not necessarily a good thing nok protection measures. That's why the National Security Authority recommends that you always use passwords in combination with something else. The biggest advantage of MFA is that the security of your company increases significantly when employees have to identify themselves with more than a username and password. According to Microsoft, using MFA will block over 99.9% of account attacks . Studies conducted by NIST have also shown that MFA can reduce the risk of phishing attacks by as much as 90%.
At worst, MFA can be circumvented through social engineering or other more sophisticated attack methods, but it is still a crucial security measure that significantly improves your IT security and protects you against a wide range of password-related threats.
How does MFA work?
MFA works by requiring additional information for verification. One of the most common MFA factors that users encounter is one-time passwords. These are the 4-8 digit codes that you often receive via email, SMS or a mobile app. A new code is generated at regular intervals or every time an authentication request is sent.
MFA allows you to log in after you have entered your password through:
Phone number
App
E-mail
Password chips
Biometric factors such as fingerprints
Ability to select "yes, this is me" on another device after entering the password.
Different smart password systems
Password manager
A password bank or password manager is an encrypted digital password system that stores usernames, passwords and other relevant login information for your apps, accounts, websites and devices. They keep your identity and sensitive data safe and make your workday easier by generating strong, unique and secure passwords for you - and helping you fill them in when you log in.
How the password manager works through Cyberon Security
Once your password bank is installed, you log in with your master password. When you log in the next time, you can do so easily through biometric factors such as fingerprint or facial recognition. Then you have 3 simple login methods to choose from when logging in to your different user accounts. With the password bank, you can create new passwords, update old ones and store them easily, encrypted and securely.
Logging in is quick, as you always have your passwords available. The only password you need to remember is the master password to enter your password bank for the first time.
Password chips
Password tokens are physical tokens and cannot be guessed or shared between users. Password tokens replace passwords and provide faster, easier and more secure logins to websites and apps across a user's devices.
They are unique to the websites they are created for and will not work on fake websites. Thus, password tokens are always strong and resistant to phishing attacks, unlike using only passwords as a login method. Your private password tokens also can't be stolen by hacking into a company's server or database.
How password tokens work through Cyberon Security
Password tokens are easy to use. When an employee logs in to an app or website, they authorize the login with the same PIN code or biometric factor used to unlock the device (phone, computer).
After your password token has been registered, go to the security settings and select "add password token". Next, insert your password token and touch it to verify that you are a human and not a remote hacker. Most services will no longer require a password after the first login - it just works.
