Why Phishing Resistant MFA Is Becoming a Necessity

Why Phishing Resistant MFA Is Becoming a Necessity

It’s no secret that cybersecurity protocols are becoming more sophisticated, making it more difficult for threat actors to gain access to confidential data. As this is happening, cybercriminals are relying more and more on phishing attacks to try and gain access to personal and corporate data.

To continue to protect our valuable data, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is becoming an essential tool in this fight against phishing and other cyber threats.

Let’s take a closer look at MFA and its relatively new upgrade, phishing-resistant MFA, and why they are becoming necessary to protect our data.

What Is MFA?

When used properly, multi-factor authentication gives an extra layer of security to our log-ins. It works much like normal logins, where users enter their username and password, but then it adds an additional authentication factor. This additional factor can be anything from a one-time password (OTP) sent to a device, biometrics like facial recognition or fingerprint scanning, or even a hardware token.

These extra layers help to ensure that the person accessing an account or confidential data is the actual owner. MFA helps to protect against stolen passwords and other cyber threats.

What Is Phishing-Resistant MFA?

Phishing-resistant MFA is a variant of regular MFA that is specifically designed to protect against phishing attacks. Phishing is a type of cyberattack where attackers send fake emails or texts that appear to be from a legitimate source, in an attempt to trick the recipient into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.

Phishing-resistant MFA takes MFA one step further by removing people from the equation altogether and using hardware tokens.

The two main types of phishing-resistant MFA include:

  • FIDO/ WebAuthn authentication
  • Public key infrastructure (PKI)-based authentication

FIDO/ WebAuthn authentication uses a hardware token, such as a security key or a smart card, that is connected to the user’s device. This hardware token generates a one-time use key that is used to authenticate the user’s login. This means that even if a phisher can obtain the user’s username and password, they would not be able to access the account without the hardware token.

PKI-based authentication also uses a hardware token, but it generates a digital certificate that is used to authenticate the user’s login. This certificate is only valid for a certain amount of time, and once it expires, a new one must be generated. This means that even if a phisher can obtain the user’s digital certificate, it will be invalid once it expires.

Why Is Phishing-Resistant MFA Necessary?

Phishing attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated, and have significantly increased in volume, making them more difficult for traditional MFA methods to protect against. With phishing-resistant MFA, businesses can have an extra layer of security that helps them protect their confidential data from these types of attacks.

Some benefits of phishing-resistant MFA include:

  • Increased security: Phishing-resistant MFA adds an extra layer of security that makes it harder for threat actors to gain access to confidential data.
  • Cost savings: Being more secure than traditional authentication methods, businesses can save money by not having to invest in other security measures.
  • Easier to use: This implementation of MFA is much easier to use than traditional authentication methods, making it more secure and less time-consuming.

While these are just some of the benefits of phishing-resistant MFA, the most important benefit is that it helps protect businesses from data breaches and the negative effects that come with them.

Adopting Phishing Resistant MFA In Your Organization

Adopting phishing-resistant MFA is the best way to ensure that valuable data is protected from malicious actors. Doing so will help businesses reduce their risk of a data breach and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Organisations should assess their current security posture and determine how much risk they are exposed to. Once this assessment is complete, they should consider where and when it’s best to begin incorporating phishing-resistant MFA into their security protocols.

Looking To Get Quality Managed IT Services in Brisbane? Let Connected Platforms Help!

Phishing-resistant MFA is becoming an essential security measure for organisations looking to protect their data from malicious attacks. It is a cost-effective, user-friendly solution that can help organisations reduce the risk of a data breach and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Take the first step towards enhanced security by adopting phishing-resistant MFA in your organisation today!

We can provide you with a comprehensive assessment of your organisation’s cybersecurity standings and help develop a strategy to help you stay one step ahead of the curve when it comes to data safety in Brisbane, Australia.

Contact us today for a free security consultation or to find out more about other IT solutions we can help you with. Call (07) 3062 6932 or book a coffee meeting online.

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How to create secure passwords

How to create secure passwords

Weak passwords are one of the biggest security risks to your business.
Why?
Because cyber criminals are getting smarter than ever before. If they manage to crack just one password, they could gain access to your sensitive business data, financial information, or even gain control of your entire system.
Cyber criminals use automated tools to guess passwords, allowing them to try out millions of combinations in seconds. So, if you’re using something like “Password123” or “CompanyName2025”, you’re practically handing them the keys to your business.
A compromised password can lead to big issues, such as:
• Data breaches
• Financial losses
• Identity theft
• Reputation damage
But how do you create strong passwords without driving yourself (and your team) mad?
Think of your password like a secret recipe, where only you should know the ingredients. It should:
• Be at least 14 characters long (the longer, the better)
• Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
• Contain a few numbers and symbols (like @, $, %, or &)
• Not contain any common words or easily guessable information (like birthdays, names, or the word “password”)
Instead of using a single word, you could try a passphrase – a short, random sentence that only you would understand. For example, instead of “Sailing2025”, try something like “Coffee&CloudsAreGreat9!”. This is much harder to crack, yet still easy to remember.
You should also steer clear of these common mistakes:
• Using personal info (your name, birthday, business name, etc.)
• Reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts
• Using simple sequences (“123456” or “abcdef”)
• Storing passwords in an easily accessible place (like a sticky note on your desk)
If remembering unique passwords for every account sounds impossible, there is another option: Password managers. These generate strong passwords, store them securely and autofill them for you.
With a password manager, you only need to remember one strong master password for the manager app itself. The rest are encrypted and stored safely, reducing the risk of data breaches.
Even the strongest password isn’t foolproof, which is why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also important. MFA requires a second form of verification, like a one-time code sent to your phone or generated from an authentication app.
If you have employees accessing your business systems, it’s a good idea to have a password policy in place to explain your rules and why they’re important. This should include:
• Unique passwords for each system and account
• Regular security training on password best practices
• Business-wide use of MFA for critical systems
• Scanning for compromised passwords regularly
By making password security a priority, you can reduce the chances of a cyber attack creating a nightmare for your business.
And if you need help making your business more secure, get in touch.

Beware these common ‘malvertising’ attacks

Beware these common ‘malvertising’ attacks

Ever clicked an online ad and wondered afterwards if it was a scam?… most of us have – and cyber criminals want us to keep doing it. Here’s what to look out for to stop your business’s data (and profits) falling into the wrong hands…

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