Infographic: How Multifactor Authentication Works

It seems like there’s something in the news every day about cybersecurity – a new reported hack, a leak of information online, new types of scams…it never seems to end. That’s why taking precautions to make sure that you, your information, and your identity are protected. One of the ways that you can increase your protection is through using multifactor authentication (MFA). This helpful infographic breaks down exactly what MFA is and how it works, so you can understand why it makes it that much more difficult to steal your information. We’ll also cover some interesting statistics that highlight just how much cybersecurity risk there is in the modern world, and how significantly MFA can improve your online safety.

What is multifactor authentication?

Multifactor authentication (MFA) gives your accounts an extra layer of protection by requiring two+ identifying factors for every login. In addition to your traditional login information (username and password), MFA will also ask for verification through something you have (often via a code sent directly to your mobile device or an authentication app), and/or something you are – aka a fingerprint or face scan or some other biometric verification, like you probably use to unlock your smartphone.

How it works:

Something you know (Username and Password)

+

Something you have (Token or PIN sent to your device)

+

Something you are (Fingerprint, Face Scan, or other biometric verification)

=

Access granted

Safety Stats

Is it really worth going through multiple steps to get into your account when you could just use one? Check out these safety stats and see if taking a few extra seconds seems like a fair trade-off for the protection you’ll get:

• There are 15 billion passwords for sale on the darkweb.
• Every 39 seconds, there is a new attack on the web.
• 30,000 websites are hacked daily.
• MFA can reduce the risk of identity theft by 99.9%.

While it may seem like a hassle, MFA is becoming more and more of a common practice as people recognize the security threats they face and MFA’s ability to mitigate them. Once you’ve gone through the process a handful of times, you won’t even think about it anymore, it will become as natural to you as entering your username and password is now. For the price of a few extra seconds, you can make it significantly more difficult for hackers and scammers to compromise your information and steal your identity.