Today’s security snippet comes from Randall Munroe at xkcd – pop over there now and have a look:
I have to agree with sentiment of the comic, multi-factor authentication (MFA, but see note below) can be difficult to set up, no one does it the same, authenticator apps can be misleading so you have two on your phone (see second note below), I have had to search for the set up on numerable sites and if you have an issue you can be locked out and that can be difficult to solve. And don’t get started on when you change your phone!
However having said all that – MFA is an essential barrier between you and the bad people out there who are just brute force attacking everything. The effort is worth it.
Top Tips
Make sure you record the emergency codes the best MFA systems provide you with – I keep mine in an encrypted OneNote section. These will solve the “locked out” issue for you.
Make sure you have alternate communication methods set up. I have my wife’s mobile and email addresses listed as alternates, my children use my details. Obviously though this person must be trusted.
Note 1
For something so useful this type of tool has acquired several names:
- Multi-factor authentication – MFA
- Two factor authentication – 2FA
- Dual factor authentication – DFA
Note 2 – and another tip
You can use the Google (Android) authenticator app to authenticate any site including your Microsoft account.
Likewise the Microsoft authenticator app will work with your Google account.
They both do the same job – link to your account and provide the one-time-password (OTP) you need and the hackers cannot get to. Now you need only one of them on your phone – you choose. Here are some links to choose from:
Microsoft Authenticator – Apps on Google Play
Google Authenticator – Apps on Google Play
Microsoft Authenticator on the App Store (apple.com)
Google Authenticator on the App Store (apple.com)
Sometimes explaining the benefits of cyber security to the board, managers and your team can be difficult – they can see it only as a barrier to their work or an expense they can avoid. That’s where Smart Thinking comes in.
And because we know this is difficult we have teamed up with an international research group so we can call on their experts when we need them.
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
