It seems like there is one or more major data breaches to a large company every month. But just because data breaches to small and midsize business don’t necessarily make the news doesn’t mean they aren’t happening. Data breaches can cost companies millions of dollars and can cause smaller companies to close their doors if they don’t have a solid proactive IT management strategy in place.
Believe it or not, a common reason why data breaches originate is because of weak passwords, reused passwords and password sharing. Because of this, most IT consulting services suggest using multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to prevent potential cyber attacks. There are plenty of reasons why multi-factor authentication is beneficial, but there are also plenty of challenges companies face when implementing the strategy as well. Here are the strengths and challenges business owners have to face.
Why Multi-Factor Authentication is Important
With multi-factor authentication, users will have to verify their identity in another form before logging into their account. So if a hacker was able to obtain a password, they wouldn’t be able to use it since they aren’t able to access the extra authentication method. Not only does this deter cyber criminals from your organization, but it also makes your systems more secure, compliant with data security standards and more.
Challenges Companies Face
Business owners sometimes find themselves having to reach out to IT consulting services to implement new strategies, even when it’s as simple as multi-factor authentication. Employees are typically resistant to change and are hesitant to embrace multi-factor authentication. Some of the reasons why employees and business owners alike are reluctant to adopt this strategy include:
- Less productivity
- The process is too complex
- Lack of resources to implement the strategy
- Not enough IT support to manage
- Disinterest in adopting the policy
Employees will likely view multi-factor authentication as inconvenient and not necessarily see the benefits it offers. This is where IT consulting services can step in to help point out the advantages in both the short-term and long term.
The Risks Are Too Great To Ignore The Benefits
The bottom line is the potential risks of not having multi-factor authentication outweigh the downfalls of implementing the new policy. Some business owners counter the idea of implementing multi-factor authentication with having 24/7 computer support available. While it’s always a good idea to have around-the-clock monitoring, it’s also well worth the investment to navigate through the challenges to install multi-factor authentication to protect your organization and assets as much as possible.
At Single Point of Contact, we look at every business as being unique and having different needs from an IT security standpoint. However, the key to the security of any business is having a proactive IT management strategy and ensuring everyone in the organization is on the same page. Multi-factor authentication is gaining steam as being a critical component of IT security, so contact us today to learn more about it and how it can fit into your organization.
