As the new year begins, it's time to talk about passwords and ways to protect yourself, your family, and your business.
We've all recently read the news about compromises in our data from various companies. To see if your details have been exposed:
Type in your email addresses for all close contacts:
You (work and home)
Your children
Your team (work and home)
You will be surprised to find most have their passwords already compromised.
Simply having a password is not enough; you need to switch on what is called Multi-factor authentication (MFA), an IT authentication method requiring a user to present at least two factors that prove their identity.
Cybercriminals have more than 15 billion stolen credentials to choose from. If they choose yours, they could take over your bank accounts, health care records, company secrets, and more.
Multi-factor authentication is essential, making stealing your information harder for the average criminal. The harder your data is to access, the more likely thieves will choose someone else to target.
As the name implies, MFA blends at least two different factors:
Typically your username and password, which is something you know and will remember
Something you have: A cellphone, keycard, or USB could all verify your identity or Something you are: Fingerprints, iris scans, or some other biometric data prove that you are who you say you are.
How to switch on Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for significant applications: