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How to Use MFA the Right Way

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Multi-Factor Authentication, which is often shortened to MFA, is used to help secure websites and one’s privacy, but if not used the right way, can be just as ineffective as not using it at all. 

The need for effective security cannot be underestimated today. Data breaches seem to happen every day, and if your business becomes a victim, you could end up facing huge repercussions, not only from a legal standpoint but a financial one too. This is why you need to have stringent security tools and measures in place for your business.

How MFA Works

Multi-Factor Authentication involves using two security measures in order to gain access. Rather than relying on a password only, you will require the user to input another piece of information in order to gain access. A common example of this would be to receive a text message to your phone with a code, which then needs to be inputted. 

However, you need to make sure that you use Multi-Factor Authentication effectively if it is to work. Not only do you need to consider Multi-Factor Authentication from a security point-of-view, but you need to think about ease of use as well. 

If you make your users jump through hoops to gain access to your website, you may end up frustrating them. This is why you need to make sure there is a good balance between security and usability. Think about users with disabilities as well; will your authentication approach provide challenges for them? 

What to Be Aware Of

In addition to this, you need to consider how you mitigate the risk of opt-outs. By having a selection of authentication methods, like email, SMS, and voice, it can be the difference between adoption and abandonment. 

You also need to make sure that you anticipate any objections that may get in the way. This is another critical step when it comes to increasing adoption. Planning to optimize flexibility and usability will yield the greatest outcomes. 

Another area that you need to think about is whether it can be extended with passive contextual authentication. Using passive user details, like device identifiers, time of day, IP address, and geolocation, is the way of the future. This provides a better user experience and improved security, making it especially suitable for customers. 

Test It

Aside from everything else that has been discussed above, you also need to make sure that you test the Multi-Factor Authentication system you decide on. You want to make sure that there are no hiccups or hurdles along the way, as the last thing you want is for there to be problems when it comes to the rollout. This is why testing is a requirement if you are going to implement Multi-Factor Authentication.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the right way to use Multi-Factor Authentication. To make sure that you use MFA appropriately at your business, you might even consider contacting an IT security company to sufficiently have the peace of mind that this is going to be implemented effectively. 

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