Integrating MFA Into Your Cybersecurity Strategy

Multifactor authentication is quickly becoming one of the most common methods of securing your accounts against cyberattack. Traditionally, digital accounts to secure sites use a combination of a username and password to authenticate your identity. In recent times, this has become less effective due to the prevalence of brute force attacks – a cyberattack strategy where automated systems attempt to guess your username and password combination by trying every possible option. As computing power has increased, so too has the frequency and danger associated to this type of attack.

Multifactor authentication counters brute force attacks by requiring an additional layer of authentication to be provided when you log into your account. Often, this takes the form of a push notification or one-time-use code that is sent to a personal device such as smartphone. This ensures that an attacker that gains access to your credentials still cannot access your account, as they would not have access to your mobile phone.

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As with all cybersecurity strategies, MFA works best when used in combination with other strategies. Below are some additional strategies that you can employ to bolster your security.

Educate your team on malware symptoms and phishing signs
One of the most effective methods of ensuring your organization is protected against cyberattack is by educating your team on the signs and symptoms to look out for when keeping an eye out for malware. For malware attacks, some symptoms could include unexplained system slowdowns despite resource monitors not detecting any processes taking up processing power, or strange and unpredictable behavior.

Software Update Management
Software update management is essential to ensure that your company’s operating systems, antivirus software, and general software is kept up-to-date. Malicious actors are constantly searching for new vulnerabilities in software. Cybersecurity professionals are constantly releasing security patches that repair vulnerabilities that have been discovered. Neglecting to update your software can leave it vulnerable to attack.

Network Segmentation

An effective strategy of protecting specific sectors of your network is by implementing network segmentation. This practice involves dividing a network into disconnected sections. This ensures that sensitive areas remain protected in the event of other areas of the network becoming compromised.

Working with an MSP
Managing your IT security can become a daunting task for small IT teams. Working in tandem with a managed service provider (MSP) can bring major benefits to organizations looking to offload some of their IT management. GIGE Corporation’s managed services are highly customizable – we work closely with your organization’s existing resources to ensure that issues are triaged accordingly and all bases are covered.

Don’t fall victim to cyberattack. GIGE Corporation has over 30 years of experience designing and deploying cybersecurity strategies for organizations across Canada. Call us at +1 888 366 4443 or email info@gige.ca to get started today.