When it comes to information security, the saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” goes the best. If you want to protect your devices and networks from harm, deploying multiple security layers instead of depending on a single solution is best. However, we cannot ignore the fact that with the surge in the use of cloud applications, even data stored in several on-site and cloud locations have a single access point- our digital accounts. Now, the security of these digital accounts is imperative if you want to safeguard sensitive information and prevent service outages and the hefty costs that come with it. Multifactor authentication, or MFA, is the best answer for added security to digital accounts. This blog is an in-depth analysis of MFA and choosing the right MFA service for businesses in Europe and MEA. Read ahead to find out!
Managing several digital accounts with their respective passwords is a cumbersome chore. You cannot even think of remembering multiple passwords, and having a single password for all your accounts can result in password leakage and hacking of all your accounts at one time. This is no less than a nightmare! It is for this reason that businesses have resorted to MFA service to secure their user accounts. MFA is a security protocol that verifies user identity using two or more authentication methods before allowing them to access their accounts.
Firstly, the MFA service reduces the risk of data breaches. With the rise in cyber crimes, including account takeovers, data leakage, malware, and phishing attacks, the need for an extra security layer is now more than ever. MFA service safeguards business accounts by imposing additional authentication factors or requirements in addition to the conventional username and password. MFA usually comprises of the following factors:
Knowledge - Something the user knows, such as a password or a secret answer
Possession- Something the user possesses, such as a security token or a smartphone
Inherence - Something the user is, such as facial recognition, iris scan, or fingerprint.
In medium and small-scale businesses, it is difficult for administrators to determine which users can access which devices and applications. It is even difficult to ascertain which security measures are implemented to protect data associated with each user account. MFA service acts as a catalyst that helps ensure that all corporate networks and applications are critically secured.
MFA service further helps organizations comply with regulatory policies such as PCI-DSS. As data privacy policies constrain organizations to secure customer data and limit employee access to that data, MFA services have emerged as a boon in the cybersecurity universe. MFA has proved to play a critical role in enabling businesses to meet compliance requirements.
Now, it is clear that MFA service is essential for every business, but choosing the right MFA service for businesses in Europe and MEA requires you to have a clear vision and evaluate several factors. There are a few ways to implement MFA. Implementing MFA across inter-connected services and applications is common among individual services. For example, Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 give user MFA configuration rights to administrators.
On the other hand, various free MFA solutions allow admins to implement authentication protocols as a part of an open-source service or platform. Although this looks convenient, such services are usually complicated to configure. Plus, these services do not offer comprehensive controls and policies admins need for account access security.
If you want to evaluate an MFA service, it is suggested that you research a number of solutions and implement interactive demonstrations or free trials of those solutions to find out what fits your organization best.
Now, if you want to find the right MFA service for your business, here are some essential tips to help you compare and evaluate different solutions!
Ease of use is paramount in an MFA service. If your users cannot access their accounts, it will likely result in a productivity decline and numerous support tickets, as they will resort to help from the IT department. The only way to avoid such an issue is to opt for an MFA solution that offers multiple authentication options.
OTPs are the most common type of MFA preferred by users. However, users should also be able to select between a range of other MFA options, such as getting push notifications or using biometric authentication such as fingerprint, facial scan, or U2F keys.
Ensure that when users get locked out of their accounts for any reason while using MFA or lose their devices like a smartphone preventing them from receiving verification codes, your organization should allow users to have two authentication devices in use at any time. This means the other can be used to access accounts if one device is lost or stolen. Also, the solution you opt for should allow administrators to easily access reset accounts from the management console, allowing users to regain access to their accounts whenever needed.
You must figure out which services and accounts need security with MFA before finalizing an MFA service. It is best to select an MFA solution that enables easy MFA deployment across all applications and user accounts in your organization. There should be a central admin location to manage connected users and applications.
The best MFA solution provides authentication for a varied range of use cases, allowing you to secure everything from your on-site applications to custom applications and much more. Therefore, it is best to look for a comprehensive solution that can provide full security to all your users and applications.
MFA implementation is a crucial step in protecting your business from data breaches and account hacking instances. Therefore, you should choose an MFA solution that is easy to install and can be seamlessly implemented throughout all services and applications in your organisation.
If you select the wrong MFA solution, you will suffer from the tedious configurations required for onboarding new users across all applications. Therefore, it is best to look for solutions that enable users to self-enroll and allow them to choose and set up their preferred authentication methods without requiring any interference from the admins. Additionally, you can opt for solutions that offer documentation and support to walk you through the initial deployment process.
Make sure that you choose an MFA solution that seamlessly integrates with a broad spectrum of applications and services. This will help in efficient user authentication and easy security management. Firstly, identify which pre-built integrations are supported by the solution.
Most MFA services provide pre-built integrations with hundreds of popular business applications. However, there is a chance that some integrations, such as industry-specific applications that you need, are not available. It is recommended that we search for solutions that favour custom integrations with all services and applications. This means we opt for MFA solutions that can integrate with any application using SAML, RADIUS, or LDAP standards.
Also, it is best to go for solutions that tightly integrate with a range of security products. This will facilitate strong security management and streamlined reporting and analytics. Stick to solutions that integrate with other identity providers, including endpoint security services, password managers, and other business applications.
Consider admin controls and policies while evaluating MFA solutions. Your chosen solution should allow you to configure policies at per-application, user, group, and global levels. This will enable you to enforce added protection for applications and high-risk users. This is crucial for continuous user account verification, giving admins more control over access to critical corporate data.
Look for a solution that features high documentation levels for policy configurations. The MFA solutions should adequately support admins in managing controls and policies. An advanced, user-friendly console that allows you to test the solution during the trial is a must.
MFA lets you have a bird’s eye view of your enterprise’s security landscape. This helps enhance your security posture and portrays the strength of the security tools to protect your digital system for auditing and compliance purposes. Therefore, reporting and analytics should be among the most prioritized features when evaluating MFA solutions.
The admin console should be able to access reports. Consider the information length and the solution's capability to create, access, and schedule reports. Also, the reports should be easy to locate and export. Besides this, search for a solution that provides baseline functionality and in-depth overviews of the number of users deployed or locked out or any security events or details of authentication logs.
The best MFA solution should provide detailed reports of the time and location of authentication attempts and information about the operating systems and devices used. This is highly beneficial for identifying malicious logins and prohibiting access to compromised devices.
Ownership cost here refers to the total cost of ownership and not just the initial setup cost of the MFA solution. Therefore, you must consider the best ownership cost for your company while choosing the right MFA service for your business.
Many MFA providers offer free setup, and business owners consider this an attractive option. However, such solutions do not have crucial features such as robust reporting, comprehensive use case coverage, granular admin controls, and custom application integrations. Also, hidden costs can arise from unexpected fees for installing specific applications or comprehensive admin overhead requirements. Free solutions often need manual efforts for setup and management, particularly with limited support documentation. Such expenses can anytime outweigh the initial setup costs.
It is better to go for established paid MFA solutions that offer better value by minimising long-term overhead. Explicit per-user pricing models give better cost predictability and scope for scalability and ease of deployment, fostering reduced administrative burden.
Before you make the final decision, conduct thorough trials to analyse user-friendliness, user adoption rates, synchronization with your use cases, and overall value. As MFA impacts users across the organisation, opt for a powerful, effective, and user-friendly solution for long-term success.
Selecting the right MFA service is the first step towards protecting your organisation’s digital data and assets. MFA is more than just a technology. Embracing the power of MFA will amplify your organisation’s security posture and instill trust and loyalty in your stakeholders that their data is well-protected. eMudhra’s exemplary MFA solutions combine user-friendly features and robust security. With advanced technology, we offer centralized management and top-notch protection against all kinds of cyber threats, phishing, and malware attacks. If you want to evaluate our top MFA services, talk to our team today!