Multi Factor Authentication

It’s a concerning fact that the traditional password is now considered inherently insecure. Users struggle to remember them, consequently they choose easy to remember passwords, use the same password for different sites and systems, write them down in the back of notebooks and on post-it notes and only make slight incremental changes when they are periodically forced to change them.

Most worryingly is the rise in sophistication of “phishing” attacks. The use of very genuine looking emails, usually with an element or urgency in the subject, that trick users into clicking on a link to either a website that downloads some kind of malware, or a spoof website that looks so convincing that the user enters their real username and password into it. Handing the keys to the attacker so to speak.

81% of data breaches involved weak, default, or stolen passwords*

How can two factor authentication for Hosted Desktops help?

We will use one of the world’s leading MFA systems to protect your hosted desktop.  We will install the system on your remote desktop server and provide handover training to get you started rolling it out to your users.

Pricing for two factor authentication on your hosted desktop costs from just £4.00⁺ per user, per month, for the self-support option, or just £4.50⁺ per user if you would like us to support the system.

Please speak with our Sales Team to understand what’s involved in support, and also for some of the additional options that are available.

To find out more please get in touch using the form below.

*2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR)

⁺Setup fee of £120

What is multi-factor authentication?

Multi factor authentication is a process where users provide a second authentication method when connecting to a service.  It is usually a combination of something you “know” and something you “have”.

For example, you “know” your username and password, and you “have” a unique device that provides the second layer such as a smartphone, or a hardware token

How important is two factor authentication?

Two factor authentication is a very important layer of defence to reduce the risk of someone gaining access to sites or services.   The use of phishing sites, keystroke logging malware, weak passwords, or reused passwords means that passwords alone are not considered secure enough to protect important data.

A second layer of authentication that is very difficult for a hacker to replicate is a significantly important way of reducing hacking and also alerting users that someone is trying to hack into their account.

How does two factor authentication work?

Two factor authentication works by requiring a second level of authentication when accessing an online site or service.   When someone tries to access a service protected by two factor authentication they first have to provide something they know, i.e. their username and password.  They then have to provide something they have as a second layer.   This is commonly a passcode generated by an app on their smartphone, or on a hardware token.  The app uses a complex algorithm that uses a unique identifier on the app or token to generate a code every minute or 30 seconds.  It is impossible to reverse engineer the algorithm from the code.

Other methods include sending an SMS message with a passcode, or calling a landline number with a recorded message with the passcode.

How do I set up multi-factor authentication?

When you implement multi factor authentication with Your Office Anywhere we manage the installation of the service and send out registration emails.   We can also provide a set of template emails that you can use to brief your users that multi factor authentication is being introduced to make it easier for you to manage the rollout with your users.