User Permissions and Two Factor Authentication

Two factor authentication are essential components of a solid security infrastructure. They reduce the risk of malicious insider activities or accidental data breaches and help ensure regulatory compliance.

Two factor authentication (2FA) is a method that requires a user to enter a credential in two categories to log into their account. This could include something that the user is aware of (password or PIN code security question) or something they already have (one-time verification lasikpatient.org/2021/07/08/generated-post-2 passcode that is sent to their phone or authenticator app) or something they are (fingerprint or face scan).

Often, 2FA is a subset of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which is comprised of numerous more components than just two. MFA is typically a requirement in certain industries, for example healthcare (because of the strict HIPAA regulations), ecommerce and banking. The COVID-19 pandemic has also created a new urgency for organizations requiring two-factor authentication for remote workers.

Enterprises are living entities and their security infrastructures are constantly changing. Users have roles that change and capabilities of hardware are changing and complex systems are now at the fingertips of users. It is important to review your two-factor authentication plan at regular intervals to ensure it’s up to date with the changes. The adaptive authentication method is one way to accomplish this. It’s a kind of contextual authentication that triggers policies depending on the timing, location and the manner in which a login request is processed. Duo provides an administrator dashboard that allows you to easily monitor and set these types of policies.