This is Two Minute Tech Tips, I’m your host Lester Steward. In this series we are discussing Business cybersecurity and what you need to know to protect your business.
For this episode I’ll continue the subject of Multi-factor Authentication and explain some tools available to make the MFA process a little bit less annoying. First authenticator apps which can be downloaded to your smartphone. To set them up the service give you a QR code to scan with your phone’s camera or type in a one-time activation code. After setup you’ll see an entry that has a set of numbers and a timer, the MFA codes are only valid for a minute and then another code in generated. Some of the most popular apps you can download are made by google and Microsoft, just search for MFA in the app store of your choice. My personal recommendation for an app is the authpoint app created by Watchguard.
Second is a push authentication, this still needs to be setup inside an app initially but instead of having to open the app to retrieve a code the service will push a notification to your phone and prompt you to approve the login. There are some apps that need to open and further authenticate before allowing the service to sign in and I’ve also had some just show up on my notifications with an allow or deny option.
These methods can make MFA more convenient to use but remember, your password is always the first line of security, keep your passwords hard to guess, which means they need to be long and complicated. Resist telling yourself “I’ve never been hacked before” or “I’m in no danger”, please understand, the stress of having to deal with MFA and strong passwords is significantly less than if your business security is compromised.
If you need any information on this subject, please let North Tech Group know by visiting our website ntgak.com.
On the next episode I’m going to discuss what you should know about IT managed service providers and how to make sure they are the right fit for your business. Also, in the next few of weeks I’ll be posting a special episode where I interview an IT professional about MFA and navigating cybersecurity insurance.
Thanks for joining me, Lester Steward for your Two Minute Tech Tips, helping you keep safe in your cybersecurity world.