Securing User Identities with Multi-Factor Authentication

Data breaches are prevalent in this day and age, and most of them occur because of weak security protocols. Unique login information is no longer enough to protect an organization, its users, and their sensitive data from cyberattacks. That's why many apps and services are adopting more robust access control solutions.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the most widely used identity authentication solution, which is why you're probably familiar with it. Multi-factor authentication is a layered data protection method that tightens identity security by requiring multiple forms of user verification before granting access. In this article, we'll go over different multi-factor security methods and explore how an identity authentication solution can insulate your organizations and users from data leaks.

The rundown on multi-factor identity authentication

If you've ever been prompted to provide a security code via email or text when logging in to a service, you've used multi-factor authentication. Most banks, commerce sites, social media platforms, and other organizations that handle personal data rely on a two-factor solution for identity authentication. The key idea behind multi-factor authentication is to confirm a user's identity by using multiple credentials or pieces of evidence that are unique to that user. These can include:

• Something you know: This can be a password, PIN, or security question concerning personal information that only you would know for access purposes.
• Something you own: A physical token, your smartphone and your ID fall into this category.
• Something you are: Biometric data like fingerprints, facial recognition, or voice recognition is also used in identity authentication.

With multi-factor authentication, two or more of the above methods are often used in tandem. When you log into your banking app on your phone, for instance, many banks require you to provide a custom PIN and approve a confirmation email sent to you. By requesting user input across multiple mediums, multi-factor authentication ensures that access can't be granted to the wrong person even if one factor (usually a password) is compromised. Let's get into specifics.

Common identity authentication types

SMS or email-based MFA

We've already touched on this authentication standard, wherein users receive a one-time password or code via text message or email. After entering their credentials into a service, users are prompted to enter a security code sent to their phone or email. This method provides an additional layer of security, but it's not foolproof: SMS messages can be intercepted using techniques like SIM swapping. While this two-factor authentication method adds a helpful base layer of security that's easy to navigate, there are much safer options for identity authentication.

Identity authentication apps

Another common and easy-to-use authentication method is app-based MFA. There are countless apps that provide one-time login codes which change at intervals for safety purposes. This can be a small feature built into another app, but there are also apps dedicated entirely to identity authentication like Authy, Google Authenticator, 1Password and Duo Mobile. These apps will either produce a temporary one-time passcode as mentioned, or they'll prompt the user to identify a common code between the app and the service they're attempting to log into. App-based two-factor authentication is just as straightforward as receiving a code via email or text, but it's more secure because it doesn't rely on vulnerable channels of communication.

Biometrics

Biometric authentication confirms your identity using sensory characteristics that are unique to your body like fingerprints, facial features, iris patterns, and even voice. Many smartphone brands use biometric identity authentication like fingerprint ID and face scans because they're harder to bypass than a password or confirmation code. Duplicating someone's fingerprint or recreating their facial structure is much more difficult than a brute-force attack, but it's still possible through latent fingerprinting and other methods. Organizations and services that handle highly sensitive data often rely on biometrics for identity authentication.

Security keys and passkeys

Hardware tokens and other physical security keys are one of the strongest types of identity authentication. In organizations and industries dealing with sensitive or confidential information, it's common to use a physical key for identity confirmation while logging in. This usually takes the form of a dongle that's capable of being plugged into a device. Without the key, neither the authorized user nor any attacker can log in successfully. Hardware tokens will work without an Internet connection too. The downside is that this authentication method is less convenient than the other types we've covered, and you won't be able to access your account if you ever lose your security key. Still, hardware-based MFA is the most secure identity authentication method on this list, even if it doesn't see as much consumer use as the other options.

Passkeys work in a way similar to hardware tokens, combining public-key cryptography and other authentication types for a safe yet efficient form of access control. There exists a unique passkey for each service you log in to with your regular credentials, and the actual authentication happens locally on your device. Plus, using a passkey means the service users log into won't store their login credentials, which insulates them in the event of a data breach. For these reasons, many leading tech companies have widely adopted passkeys as their main user authentication solution.

Why multi-factor identity authentication is important

One extra layer goes a long way

Passwords alone aren't enough to secure your accounts anymore. Brute-force attacks and data leaks occur regularly, especially through phishing, and having a simple two-factor authentication app or extra login step can minimize the chances of your account being compromised next. Multi-factor authentication not only makes it much harder to gain unauthorized access, but also acts as an extra line of defense if an attacker does manage to steal your passwords.

Compliance with industry standards and practices

Many industries have stringent regulations concerning data protection, which is why there are security measures in place to uphold safety standards. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) are examples of such, and many standards require a multi-factor identity authentication method. Using an MFA solution makes sure that organizations have good security measures in place while keeping up with standard compliance in their specific field.

Simplified IT workflow and faster recovery

Data breaches can be time-intensive and pricey, especially for the internal team doing damage control afterwards. Organizations that regularly use multi-factor identity authentication strengthen their entire system infrastructure and minimize the damage caused by a cyberattack. This means an organization's IT department can focus on business-centric directives instead of devoting all of its time and resources to security. Multi-factor identity authentication may not seem like a time-saver at first, but consider the time and money involved in recovering from a data breach, and the right decision becomes clear.

If you're looking for a robust identity authentication solution for your security strategy, Duende Software is the strongest choice. We help organizations in many industries construct secure access control frameworks that are powerful, flexible, and standards-compliant. Our products ensure that your system infrastructure remains insulated, and we make front-end development easy without worry of cross-site scripting or token exfiltration. Want to learn more? Check out our feature matrix and see how we can support your business.