Why Do you Need to use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)?

As a business owner in New Zealand, it’s important to prioritise cybersecurity and protect your company’s sensitive information from cyber-attacks. One key way to do this is by implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for your business.

MFA is a security measure that requires multiple forms of authentication in order to access an account or system (such as your website admin). This adds an extra layer of protection, making it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your company’s data.

There are several methods and tools that can be used for MFA, including:

• Security tokens: These are physical devices that generate a unique code that must be entered in addition to a password in order to access an account.
• Biometric authentication: This uses unique physical characteristics, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, to verify a user’s identity.
• One-time passcodes: These are codes that are sent via text or email and must be entered in addition to a password in order to access an account.
• Mobile authenticator apps: These are apps that generate unique codes that must be entered in addition to a password in order to access an account.

Implementing MFA can help reduce the risk of cyber attacks and protect your business’s sensitive information, and it can also help businesses to comply with various industry regulations and standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

In addition to MFA it’s important to have a strong password policy in place and regularly update and manage your company’s passwords. It’s also crucial to regularly educate your employees on cybersecurity best practices and awareness.  At Happy Monday we use LastPass to help securely manage our passwords.

In conclusion, implementing multi-factor authentication is an important step for New Zealand businesses to take in order to protect their sensitive information from cyber attacks and reduce the risk of potential legal liabilities.

By using various MFA methods and tools, along with strong password management and employee education, businesses can strengthen their cybersecurity defences and ensure the safety of their data.

If you would like to know more about adding multi-factor authentication to your website you can reach out to one of our team.