What is the purpose of MFA?

Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) is an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource such as an application, online account, or a VPN.

When should MFA be used?

MFA is supposed to be a second line of defense when hackers gain user credentials and use them to log in to your applications. Due to password reuse, hackers can often intercept email one-time passcodes using the same credentials that they fraudulently used to log in to your app as the user.

What does MFA protect against?

As noted above, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack was caused by a compromised password and could have been prevented if MFA was in place. MFA protects against phishing, social engineering and password brute-force attacks and prevents logins from attackers exploiting weak or stolen credentials.

How does MFA token work?

The hard token generates a random number—which expires after one use and can only be used during a specific period of time—at fixed intervals. When a user needs to log in, they simply enter the number, along with their username and optionally, a PIN or password.

How do MFA codes work?

Usually, with MFA, you enter in your username and password upon login and then a unique code that is sent via text message. This proves that you remember both your username and password, but also that you are in possession of your smartphone, which is “registered” as a device to receive these types of codes.

What is MS MFA?

Multifactor authentication (MFA) adds a layer of protection to the sign-in process. When accessing accounts or apps, users provide additional identity verification, such as scanning a fingerprint or entering a code received by phone.

What is customer MFA?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides a layer of protection to your enterprise and your customers. No longer just for employee use cases, MFA can be successfully leveraged to secure your customers’ interactions with your digital properties and mitigate the ripple effect of compromised credentials.

Is MFA necessary?

Multi-factor authentication is important, as it makes stealing your information harder for the average criminal. The less enticing your data, the more likely that thieves will choose someone else to target. As the name implies, MFA blends at least two separate factors.

Does MFA prevent replay attacks?

Replay attacks take a valid request and duplicate it. If the second factor uses the current time, those attacks can also be prevented. MFA should not be the planned way to prevent replay attacks, but they could make a vulnerability harder to use.

What’s the difference between MFA enabled and enforced?

When enabled users go through enrollment, they are given an app password (if app passwords are enabled). Users are automatically changed from enabled to enforced when they go through enrollment because enrollment gives them the opportunity to get an app password.