User Permissions and Two Factor Authentication

A solid security infrastructure is based on the user’s permissions and two-factor authentication. They reduce the chance of malicious or accidental insider activities, limit the impact of data breaches, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Two factor authentication (2FA) is a method which requires the user to enter a credential from two categories in order to log into their account. This could be something the user is familiar with (password, PIN code, security question) or something they already have (one-time verification passcode that is sent to their phone or an authenticator app) or something they have (fingerprint or face, retinal scan).

Often, 2FA is a subset of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which has more than two. MFA is typically a requirement in certain industries, such as healthcare (because https://lasikpatient.org/2021/11/10/the-3-types-of-software-your-business-needs-in-2021/ of the strict HIPAA regulations) as well as ecommerce and banking. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance of security for organizations that require two-factor authentication.

Enterprises are living organisms and their security infrastructures are always changing. Users shift roles and capabilities of hardware are changing, and complex systems are at the fingertips of users. It is crucial to evaluate the two-factor authentication strategy regularly to ensure that they keep up with the latest developments. One method to do this is through adaptive authentication which is a form of contextual authentication that creates policies based on the way it is used, when and when a login request is received. Duo provides an administrator dashboard that lets you easily monitor and set these types of policies.