Would Your Calgary Business Benefit From Enhanced 2FA Cybersecurity?

Would Your Calgary Business Benefit From Enhanced 2FA Cybersecurity?

The days of a username and password providing secure protection of your critical data has gone the way of the rotary phone. Of course, many Canadians have only seen this device in television re-runs. Maybe the world “dinosaur” is a better visual. The point is that expecting a simple username and password, many of us change less frequently than we purchase automobiles, will not stand up to a determined hacker. Supporting that precise idea, the Canadian government appears helpless to stop hackers.

“New figures tabled in Canada’s House of Commons have revealed that at least 144,000 Canadians have had their personal information mishandled by federal departments and agencies over the past two years,” according to an Info Security report. “In total, 7,992 breaches were found to have occurred at ten different agencies and departments.”

Consider, for a moment, that digital burglars penetrated the top-tier cybersecurity measures of government agencies. How easily do you think they could backdoor their way through your device and gain entry to credit cards, bank accounts, or a business network link saved in a cell phone? That’s why everyday people and business leaders alike need two-factor authentication (2FA).

What is 2FA?

It’s essential to understand that cybersecurity tends to be more of a strategy than methodology. The practice of a username plus a password was intended to present hackers with two unique hurdles. But the convenience of auto-saving both in devices voids effectiveness.

Even if you don’t save by device, usernames, and passwords are commonly repeated, rarely changed, and relatively easy for cybercriminals to overcome. And, the massive data breaches you hear about in the news often result in hackers selling off millions of usernames and passwords on the dark web. The Canadian government — with all its resources — just suffered nearly 8,000 breaches and put upwards of 144,000 people at risk.

Two-factor authentication builds on the username and password strategy but adds a caveat. The cybersecurity strategy requires users to take one additional step that blinds hackers. These are commonly employed in 2FA strategies.

• Text Message: When someone attempts to log in to an account, a code is sent to your cell phone that you must enter after the username and password.
• Email: Some people prefer to have a code or an additional pass key sent to a secure email. The same process of entering this code after the username and password apply.
• Answer Personal Question: Many banking accounts now require online users to fill out personal questions that only you know the answer. Cybercriminals would additionally need to know and answer to access online tools, business networks, and accounts.
• Bio Scans: These scans now include retina, fingerprints, and facial recognition. While they are excellent strategies to prevent others from opening a device, they are not necessarily a secure deterrent after spyware, ransomware, or another malicious application has infiltrated a device.

With a determined 2FA strategy in place, even if an employee’s endpoint device has been breached, hackers find themselves at an impasse. They cannot proceed to enter your network because they would require physical access to the phone or device receiving the randomly generated code.

Imagine the chagrin after cybercriminals discover their efforts were a gigantic waste of time because you have a 2FA defense in place. If you are a business owner or decision-maker in Calgary, 2FA will help you rest easy knowing your valuable digital assets are secure.