The importance of multifactor authentication (MFA)

Ensure your resources are protected

We frequently get asked to investigate compromised Microsoft 365 accounts and to provide evidence of how the breach occurred. These incidents often involve insurance companies, forensics and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Not only can this lead to financial losses through email phishing attacks, there can also be ongoing reputational damage.

In the vast majority of cases, the attacks could have been prevented. Turning on multifactor authentication (MFA) for all users is one of the most important steps to take. Even if the attacker knows your password, MFA makes it significantly more difficult for your account to be compromised.

Once enabled, MFA can be used to protect all of the users in your organisation. For more granular control, you can also define policies to define when MFA will be required, such as when a user is connecting from a different device, or from outside of the organisation’s network.

How often does your organisation review IT security? It is a regular agenda item in board or stakeholder meetings? When was the last time you checked whether your security strategy was up to date?