Should You Rely on Multi-Factor Authentication to Ensure Cybersecurity

Recently, the consumer market has begun to pay significant attention to ensuring cybersecurity. This is relevant for both individuals and corporate clients, business representatives. IT specialists are constantly working to solve existing problems, improve the security of work on the network. They tirelessly develop new methods, strategies, tools that can become a reliable barrier to cybercriminals. One of the most advanced solutions over the past decade can rightfully be called MFA, that is, multi-factor authentication.

But as user authentication mechanisms improved, cybercriminals did not stand still. They also developed their own tactics, creating solutions that can bypass MFA. Today, there are already quite a few such methods. At the same time, many information security experts still consider multi-factor authentication a good tool for protecting accounts. Whether their opinion is correct is a rather controversial question. Statistics show that almost half of all accounts that fell into the hands of hackers had MFA activated.

As part of today's review, we will dwell in detail on what multi-factor authentication is, what advantages it has. We will describe in detail how this technology works and what key components it consists of. We will tell you how to implement MFA correctly for ordinary and corporate users. Let's give an example of how modern neural networks can improve the quality of multi-factor authentication. We will highlight the methods that modern attackers use to bypass MFA. Let's still tell you why multi-factor authentication alone will not be enough to ensure high levels of security when working on the Internet. We will provide a number of practical recommendations that will allow organizations to improve their security against MFA bypass.

You may also be interested in such a question as cyberwars of the past and future.

Why it is worth using multi-factor authentication in practice

In the modern world, where it is impossible to imagine a person's existence without access to the Internet, digital security has become crucial. Many organizations and private users store confidential information on the Internet. In addition, we constantly interact with the Internet, connect to different sites, services, register on sites, leave our logins and passwords, which will subsequently be stored on the network, use online accounts. All this is what is of certain value to Internet attackers. If such information ends up in their hands, then you may face quite serious and very real consequences, including loss of confidentiality, disruption of business activity, loss of funds, etc.

Yes, the passwords that you use in practice are designed to provide fairly good protection of digital assets. But, unfortunately, most of their capabilities will not be enough, at least in the context of current cyber threats. Modern hackers use a huge number of different tactics and techniques that still help them achieve their goal and gain access to user accounts. Once they know at least one of your passwords, they will not miss the opportunity to try to connect to other accounts where you used the same credentials, thereby increasing the efficiency of their work.

In such conditions, multi-factor authentication is used as an additional level of security. That is, in this case, even if a hacker gets your password, he will not be able to access the account. To confirm your identity, you will need to go through additional steps. In some cases, it can prevent subsequent actions by an intruder, at least because he will not want to spend additional time and effort on hacking such accounts if there are others that were not protected by MFA. In practice, this technology has become widely used not only among individuals, but also in enterprises. They use it to confirm the identity of users and provide them with the most convenient, fast access to the local network.

Among the main advantages characteristic of multi-factor authentication, it is worth highlighting:

• Improving the security indicators of personal and business accounts. There is a reduction in risks directly related to the human factor. For example, this could be incorrect entry of passwords, lost personal devices.
• Improving the quality of response to external incidents of built-in security systems. If desired, MFA can be configured to actively send alerts to the appropriate service if suspicious attempts to connect to the system are detected. Thanks to this, it will be possible to immediately respond to cyberattacks, prevent their negative impact on business, and at the same time minimize any potential threats and material damage.
• Ensuring the implementation of many modern digital initiatives. Thanks to MFA, enterprises can provide fairly good indicators of protection of sensitive information of the organization and individual users. As a result, the staff will be able to perform various transactions and work on the Internet without risk.

All these features indicate that both individuals and business representatives should think about implementing multi-factor authentication.

What is the peculiarity of adaptive multi-factor authentication

Modern users have increasingly come across such a concept as adaptive multi-factor authentication, but do not always understand how it differs from conventional MFA. So, here business rules and information about the user are already used in order to select the most appropriate factors for authentication in each specific case. Such a solution will be especially convenient in practice for enterprises, because it allows you to find the optimal balance between the requirements of the corporate security system and the convenience of the user.

Thus, the implementation of adaptive solutions in MFA allows you to dynamically increase the number of steps in user authentication or, conversely, reduce them. The main factors for its application are:

• the number of unsuccessful attempts that were recorded when connecting to the system;
• the type of device from which the connection to the network is made;
• the geographic location of the user device;
• the physical distance between successive attempts to connect to the system;
• the type of operating system installed on the user device;
• the functional responsibilities of an individual user;
• the IP address of the source.

That is, adaptive authentication involves preliminary development of all these factors and the selection of the optimal number of security stages that must be passed to gain access.

Features of MFA

How multifactor authentication works directly depends on the method used. But still, regardless of the nuances, the general process of MFA functioning looks like this:

1. The user connects to the system by entering their personal login and password.
2. The system sends an additional authentication request. That is, after the previous stage is implemented correctly, the system sends a request for an additional factor.
3. Passing the 2nd authentication stage. Here, the user confirms the request that the system sent them. Alternatively, this can be entering a one-time password that was generated by the application and sent to the user's personal device to confirm their identity.
4. Passing the 3rd authentication stage. The system may decide to launch more requests if the corresponding setting is provided. In practice, this solution is mostly used for cases when it comes to connecting to accounts with higher access rights, those where confidential and particularly sensitive information is stored.
5. Confirmation of successful authentication is performed when all previous stages have been successfully completed. The user gains access to the system.

Yes, the implementation of such actions will require a certain amount of time from the user, which can cause a number of inconveniences, especially when urgent work needs to be done. But in most cases, there is no excessive negative impact on the convenience of work. However, the final result will directly depend on how many factors you need to pass MFA. And there are 3 separate categories here:

1. Knowledge factors.
2. Possession factors.
3. Inherent property factors.

Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Knowledge factors in multi-factor authentication

In multi-factor authentication, the knowledge factor is something that only the user knows. This can be an individual password, PIN code. Gradually, this area in MFA is expanding, replenished with new factors. So, today, a fairly popular option has become the introduction of an answer to, so to speak, a "secret question", such as the user's school emblem, mother's maiden name, the nickname of the first cat or dog, etc.

However, experts do not recommend using this method in practice, since attackers can easily find out such information from profiles on social networks. Users very often behave extremely recklessly, writing such information in their profiles. Moreover, knowledge factors are very often subject to phishing attacks, many of which, alas, turn out to be successful. In this case, it is better to use proven solutions, namely passwords consisting of a large number (12-15) of elements: letters, numbers, symbols.

Ownership factors in multi-factor authentication

Ownership factors in MFA are what only the user can know, what will be sent specifically to his personal device. Today, the following solutions have found the greatest practical application in this case:

• One-time password. It can be sent to the user's device via email or SMS.
• Push notifications. This is a notification that will appear on the user's smartphone screen as a pop-up window and contain a request to confirm the access request. The very essence of this method of protection is that the device to which the Push comes will be directly in the hands of the user.
• Matrix map. It is a paper map that is printed from PDF files. It will be presented as a table with rows and columns of different numbers and symbols. Users will have to select certain combinations from the corresponding cells of the unique card at their disposal.
• Hardware token. This includes FIDO2 keys and any other physical devices connected by the user to his personal computer. It will contain encrypted data that will help identify the user.

Such factors already have higher security indicators and minimize the likelihood of interception of sensitive information by third parties.

Inherent property factors in multi-factor authentication

Inherent property factors used in multi-factor authentication include all the data that is inherent to a specific user. If knowledge factors are what a person will know, and possession factors are what is at his disposal, then the factors related to this group are already part of the person himself. They are also called biometric authentication factors. Today, the following options are used in practice:

• voice recognition;
• retinal scanning;
• face recognition;
• fingerprint scanning.

Considering the very nature of these factors, biometric authentication will be quite difficult, and in most cases, impossible to pass in practice for people who do not have these properties. Therefore, today such MFA is considered one of the most secure access methods.

Additional factors in multi-factor authentication

Along with the main factors that modern MFA uses in practice, additional solutions have also been widely used. In particular, we are talking about the following:

1. Location factor. In this case, the system can check requests based on the actual geographic location of the user's device or its IP-address. This is what makes sure that incoming actions come directly from an authorized participant.
2. Time factor. This element will determine the connection attempt by the user taking into account the time of use. Alternatively, if a connection request is received from a work computer outside of working hours, then with a high degree of probability the system will offer an additional factor to confirm the legitimacy of authentication.
3. Behavior factor. Here we are talking about the analysis of user behavior patterns. The system can track which buttons a person pressed and in what sequence when connecting to an account. If at some point the template behavior is violated, this will lead to the system asking to go through an additional authentication stage.

If you use all these factors in practice, you can significantly strengthen the classic MFA, add intelligence to it. The convenient thing is that such more complex security mechanisms will not require any actions from the user, will not have a negative impact on the speed of his work. That is, this will be the adaptive multi-factor authentication that we have already mentioned above.

How to implement multi-factor authentication for ordinary users and businesses?

The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is that individuals should use multi-factor authentication when connecting to any Internet resources and applications where it is provided a priori. This is what will allow you to protect your own accounts from hackers. Most platforms themselves provide users with the relevant information, including the specifics of setting up an account with MFA. If this is not the case, you can use the help documentation of the site or software product. We would also like to draw your attention to the fact that you should not use your email, phone calls or text messages as authentication factors. You should be wary of sites that support only these methods.

In the case of business users, the situation is somewhat different. The setup will require more in-depth development. Moreover, all the steps that will need to be implemented when implementing MFA in business directly depend on the resources and needs of your company. Most of these works are performed by information security specialists or IT specialists. But in any case, the following work will need to be done:

• Determine the types of MFA factors that will be relevant specifically for your business. Here you need to proceed from the general security needs of the organization, the availability of available resources. In any case, you need to select at least 2 factors presented in different categories. It is also not recommended to use confirmation via phone calls, text messages or email, as such interactions can be intercepted quite easily by attackers.
• We select the multifactor authentication option that will be optimal in your particular case. Today, there is already a fairly wide variety of commercial solutions, including open source ones, that can be safely used at the stage of implementing MFA. That is, you need to select an option that would support all the factors that you selected at the previous stage and meet your cost requirements. It is also important that all this could be implemented within your system from a technical point of view.
• We integrate multifactor authentication into a business system. Alternatively, you can integrate MFA into your existing security system or perform a complete update based on more advanced modern solutions. Please note that in some cases, it may be necessary to make adjustments to the application code or directly to the network infrastructure.
• Instruct all users who will be working through your updated information security system. You must provide each of them with additional factors on the basis of which authentication will be performed so that they can connect independently, without resorting to third-party help.
• Keep full control of the MFA system. In particular, it is important for you to regularly monitor the performance and security of the solutions used, as well as update them as soon as the need arises. This is what will allow you to maintain the effectiveness of your multifactor authentication at a high level and minimize third-party unauthorized connections.

All these steps must be implemented as correctly as possible. Even minor errors can become a weak point in your business's security system and lead to attackers gaining access to important confidential information.

Using artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance MFA

Adaptive MFA solutions have recently increasingly begun to use artificial intelligence technologies and machine learning. With their help, you can more easily and deeply analyze existing patterns and identify suspicious activity when trying to connect to the system. Modern neural networks are actively used to track user activity over a fairly wide time interval, which allows them to identify patterns and form user profile databases. Subsequently, each new connection will be performed by comparing the patterned behavior with what is happening at a given moment in time. Any discrepancies will raise suspicions and result in the system sending a corresponding notification to the information security service.

In particular, unusual user behavior may include:

1. Attempts to connect from other workstations.
2. Using new devices to connect.
3. Attempts to connect at a time that is not standard for the user.

Depending on the preliminary settings, machine learning algorithms are able to assign so-called risk scores to all suspicious events, and based on them, subsequently, literally in real time, taking into account existing business policies, select the most appropriate combination of authentication factors. Alternatively, if the neural network assigns a low-risk status to a particular connection, the user will be able to connect to the system using their login and password. If the risk indicator is average, they may be asked to additionally enter a code received by email or SMS message. If the system identifies the risk as high, the user may be denied access altogether.

What methods of bypassing multi-factor authentication exist

The effectiveness of multi-factor authentication is that users have to confirm their identity when connecting to the network by combining various factors. Above, we have already become acquainted with the main groups, as well as the solutions that are presented in them. But still, despite the apparent reliability, even such a multi-level approach often does not give the desired results in practice. And the thing is that hackers have found many ways to bypass such restrictions. In particular, we are talking about:

• Phishing attacks. The essence of this method is that when connecting to sites, users fall for the digital tricks of intruders and enter their own credentials or codes not on the target resource, but on sites controlled by hackers.
• Session theft. In this case, unscrupulous individuals pay attention to cookie sessions after user authentication. As a result, the effectiveness of MFA is literally reduced to zero.
• SIM Swapping. This method is aimed at compromising multi-factor authentication, which is implemented using SMS messages. It is implemented by transferring the user's phone number to yourself. Yes, this will require the use of social engineering methods or the presence of an accomplice directly in the company providing cellular services.
• Push bombing. It involves sending a huge number of MFA notifications after they already have the user's password at their disposal. As a result, a person simply gets confused and can approve the request that was sent by the attacker simply to stop this flow of messages.
• Attacks through an intermediary. In this case, attackers use tools such as intercepting session tokens, phishing kits, and then transfer them to completely legitimate services, as a result of which the attackers gain the appropriate access.
• Social engineering in its purest form. And most companies allow their remote staff to reset passwords used in multi-factor authentication without physical presence. But if you do not provide for multi-level verification of the user's identity, the organization's security specialists can quite easily succumb to deception by attackers and redirect this information to them, and not to a real employee.

Unfortunately, all these methods are used in practice by attackers quite often today, which in itself significantly reduces the effectiveness of MFA. But at the same time, you should not discount the method, because it significantly complicates the work of attackers in the process of gaining access to personal accounts. But you still need to understand that you should not completely rely on this method, because the above methods clearly indicate that these measures will clearly not be enough. If an attacker really targets your account, then he will do everything in his power to overcome all these defenses.

This means that businesses will need to improve existing methods, providing higher rates of protection for corporate networks. In all this, MFA should become part of a deeper and more comprehensive protection system. One that can be deployed if one of the security layers is compromised.

MFA as part of a deeper security strategy

A comprehensive approach that involves a combination of multi-factor authentication and many other intersecting security measures is what can form a deeper account protection strategy and minimize the success of attackers in gaining access to them. Here are some basic recommendations that should be used in practice:

1. Strengthening the level of endpoint security. Here, the deployment of detection and immediate response tools directly at the host level has proven itself in practice. This will allow you to identify unauthorized access and prevent it.
2. Using MFA methods that will provide increased resistance to phishing. In particular, this may be the use of FIDO2, i.e. hardware security keys, biometric authentication and other similar methods.
3. Ensuring comprehensive protection against phishing. Most attackers use carefully thought-out attacks based on social engineering. They provide the best results in practice, allowing access to user credentials.
4. Implementation of specialized tools for protecting credentials into local corporate networks. This involves the use of early detection systems, investigation and automated response to unauthorized access attempts, seizure of credentials in the cloud environment. This is what will minimize the damage from hacker attacks.
5. Increasing user awareness and training. It is the end user who must monitor the security of their device, respond to unusual actions, thereby recognizing phishing attempts or other methods of connecting to accounts.
6. Having a backup plan that will allow you to quickly restore the system or an individual account in the event that a cyberattack does occur. Alternatively, you should understand how you can quickly revoke access tokens or investigate all suspicious logins.

Modern cyber threats are highly flexible and dynamic. Unfortunately, today there are no methods that can provide the highest levels of protection against intruders. However, a deep defense strategy, which among other things will also include elements of multi-factor authentication, is what can give a decent result in practice. Even if one security layer fails, the rest will be able to withstand the cyber threat. It is also important to constantly monitor changing market trends, including the methods used by attackers to gain access to user devices. This is what will allow you to make adjustments to the existing security system, thereby increasing its resistance to unauthorized access.

Summing Up

We hope that the information we have provided in today's review will help you take a fresh look at your own information security system, identify its weaknesses and find ways to increase its resistance to unauthorized access and other actions by attackers. In any case, even the most complex and in-depth system should be based on multi-factor authentication. But the set of key factors will directly depend on the specifics of your organization's activities.

We would also like to draw your attention to such a product as mobile proxies from the MobileProxy.Space service. This is an intermediary server that will pass through itself the entire flow between the user device and the Internet, replacing the real technical parameters of your computer, laptop with its own IP address, geolocation. Thanks to this, your anonymity and security of work on the network are preserved, the ability to bypass various access restrictions and connect to sites from different countries and regions of the world, use automated solutions to speed up and simplify work. The benefits of using mobile proxies can be appreciated by both ordinary users and those for whom the Internet has become a place of permanent work: marketers, arbitrageurs, software developers and testers and many others.

To evaluate all the advantages of this solution, you can use it for free for 2 hours within the trial period. More detailed information about mobile proxies is provided at the link https://mobileproxy.space/user.html?buyproxy. Also, if necessary, you can contact the technical support service for additional advice, which operates 24/7.

Share this article: