In recent times, with the pandemic and the rapid advancement of technology, data and jobs have become more digitized than ever. Though this has opened doors for a lot of opportunities, it has also created new ways for threat actors to hack your accounts and data. Preventing data breaches has become a crucial part of every organization’s IT infrastructure.
The rapidly changing, challenging landscape of cybersecurity calls for a security model that is well-suited to meet the pace of attacks. Traditional methods have failed to meet the challenges and defend against emerging cyberthreats. The Zero Trust model of security has been a forerunner in this cybersecurity race. This model, highly recommended by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), views every identification attempt as a potential threat. By treating every login attempt as a threat, you can minimize the chances of data breaches and account hacks.
Rethinking security with Zero Trust
Organizations now have many entry points into their networks thanks to the use of cloud-based machines and apps as well as personal devices for work. Zero Trust addresses this issue as it involves never assuming trust without verifying the entity’s identity first. Every device, every user, and every access point is considered a potential risk. This is because in this digital age, potential threat actors exist both inside and outside the organization’s network.
If a user needs access to an IT resource, they have to authenticate and verify their identity first, without any exceptions. This is where multi-factor authentication (MFA) comes into play.
When MFA meets Zero Trust
According to Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, phishing makes up 44% of social engineering attacks, while 25% of security breaches involve stolen credentials. This drives home the point that passwords alone cannot protect your data from threat actors. With MFA, you can ensure greater security for your users as well as the resources in your organization.
MFA uses multiple factors to verify the identity of each user before giving them access. This ensures that a set of valid credentials is not the only aspect taken into consideration to confirm the validity of a user account. As this authentication process asks people to confirm their identity in more than one way, it ensures that the requester is who they claim they are. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data in the organization.
Elevate your MFA game with ADSelfService Plus
As a part of your Zero Trust journey, CISA recommends implementing MFA across your organization. But the different types of MFA methods can seem daunting as you try to figure out the right practices for your users. This is why CISA’s tips on what MFA methods to choose are beneficial.
Want to know more about CISA’s MFA recommendations? Read our e-book on the best MFA practices. Download it today!
