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How does multi-factor authentication work?Ī user's credentials must come from at least two of three different categories, or factors.
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It’s also a key part of meeting strong customer authentication requirements dictated by PSD2, a regulation pertaining to financial institutions in the EU. For example, PCI-DSS requires that MFA be implemented in certain situations to prevent unauthorized users from accessing systems that process payment transactions, and MFA can help healthcare providers comply with HIPAA. MFA can also be a key requirement when it comes to complying with certain industry or geographical regulations. By using MFA to log into business applications or to the network remotely via VPN, they get the flexibility and on-demand access that they value, and organizations can make sure their network and data are protected. Productivity increases when employees can use their preferred devices to easily and securely access all of the resources they need without being tied to the office. Multi-factor authentication is also an excellent way to enable enterprise mobility, an initiative that’s always high on the priority list for companies undergoing a digital transformation.
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Not only that, but many MFA solutions on the market are fast and easy to implement, meaning an organization can put this highly effective security measure in place without expending a great deal of time or effort. A recent Ping Identity survey revealed that IT and security professionals consider multi-factor authentication to be the most effective security control they have in place for protecting both on-premises and public cloud data.
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