Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions for Microsoft
Microsoft offers a plethora of products, from Active Directory to remote desktop software such as RDP, RD Gateway, RD Web Access, and RD Web Client. With millions of users logging in to their Windows computers daily, enabling robust MFA solutions for Microsoft products should be a no-brainer. Hackers are simply bound to attack your Windows machine sooner or later. And you better be prepared when it happens. Microsoft says that MFA prevents 99.9 percent of attacks on your accounts. So, what are you waiting for? Just deploy MFA today.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Active Directory
Active Directory is among the most common directory services. When an employee of a company logs in to their Windows machine, either locally or via RDP, the login and password they entered are probably checked against a central Active Directory database. That or Workgroup Accounts. But most companies use Active Directory. So, now let’s imagine a hacker gets that employee’s password. They can log in to the employee’s computer and steal confidential data. What if the user has administrator privileges? Now that’s a mess. So, it is imperative to protect Active Directory user logins with MFA.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Remote Desktop
Logging in to local machines you can see in front of you is common. But so is logging in to Windows machines remotely using RDP, RD Gateway, RD Web Access, RD Web Feed, RD Web Client, and so on. With the multitude of remote desktop products, hackers use many ways to hack them. For one, RDP is one of the most common ransomware attack vectors, according to ENISA Threat Landscape 2021. Further, remote desktop software such as RD Web Client allows opening and using custom company applications. This entails the possibility of a hacker breaking an account of a user and then remotely accessing a corporate application to steal confidential data or infect it with ransomware. Undoubtedly, remote desktop software must be protected with modern MFA solutions.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Remote Access Software
Remote Access Software includes Remote Services, but also, and predominantly, VPNs. A VPN is a popular way employees use to connect to the corporate network. Unfortunately, it is also a very attractive vector of attack for hackers. If your VPN is only protected with a password, then you can expect to get hacked sooner or later, just like the Colonial Pipeline that was the victim of a ransomware attack back in 2021. In the end, they had to pay $4.4M.
MFA for Remote Access Software
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for RemoteApp
Terminal Services RemoteApp allow for an authentic desktop experience, so they remain a popular solution for people who work remotely. Unfortunately, many companies and security providers forget about RemoteApp and Desktop Connections when deploying an MFA solution for their infrastructure. And hackers wait for just that.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Windows Logon
Microsoft says that there are one billion active devices with Windows 10. And that’s just Windows 10. Add to that other systems, such as Windows 11 and 8.1, and you will end up with a staggering number of active Windows users. Now, there is no doubt Windows is popular. But its popularity works both ways. Hacking Windows has become extremely common, too. And most hacking techniques involve breaking or intercepting the user’s password. If only we had something that would still protect Windows machines after the password has been broken. Fortunately, we do. It’s called Multi-Factor Authentication, and you can use it to secure your Windows logons.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Workgroup Accounts
While most companies adopted Active Directory, one cannot forget the alternative way of Windows user authentication. Workgroup Accounts are still reasonably popular, so companies need to protect them just as well as Active Directory accounts.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions for Linux
Linux is free and used by billions of users worldwide. Resources of many companies run on Linux machines. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Linux is a common target of hacking attempts. Be it via SSH or using a desktop version, with the sheer number of daily users, the number of attacks is enormous. That calls for a multi-layered approach to Linux authentication. And MFA provides just that.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions for Protocols
Protocols, especially authentication protocols, are primarily based on Single-Factor Authentication (SFA). This means that user identity is checked using only one factor. To make it worse, this factor is usually a password. To counteract this, MFA solutions for protocols became popular in large and small companies. Introduce robust Multi-Factor Authentication to RADIUS, LDAP, and SAML to bolster the protection against cyberattacks and improve your security posture. Take a look at MFA solutions for LDAP, RADIUS, and SAML.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for LDAP
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a common protocol for speaking to directory services such as Active Directory. You can also use LDAP to authenticate users. Password-Based Authentication is less than perfect. So, you can strengthen your LDAP user authentication with an additional secure second factor. Enter MFA.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for RADIUS
RADIUS is not just a protocol but also an idea. If you want to bolster your RADIUS users’ security, look no further than MFA for RADIUS. RADIUS is often used with VPNs, and VPNs are a common vector of attack for hackers who hope to break a VPN password and gain access to a corporate network. Once inside, they have defeated the first step on their way to gaining control of an administrator’s account. Or they can just deploy ransomware that will laterally move to other parts of the corporate network. Either way, protecting your RADIUS users is of utmost importance, and RADIUS MFA is hands-down the best way to do that.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for SAML
SAML is not an authentication protocol, but it is popular enough that it deserves mention here. SAML is commonly used in Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions. It must coexist with LDAP or RADIUS as a way to authenticate users. This creates a situation where users use SSO to enter their password only once and then log in to other applications without entering the password again. Should a hacker intercept a cookie, they could use it to access an application with no authentication whatsoever. So, it is crucial to safeguard SSO logins with the safe second factor.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions for Custom Apps (SDKs)
If you are developing a custom app or website that requires users to log in to an account using their login and password, it would be a good idea to upgrade the old and weary password-based authentication with something more up-to-date and, above all, safer. Refer to the following Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) solutions for PHP, Java, and .NET applications and enable robust Multi-Factor Authentication for custom applications written in popular programming languages.
MFA for PHP Applications
Custom PHP applications that use password-based authentication should have an extra layer of security in the form of a secure second factor. Such an MFA solution provides more security for your users and increases your security posture.
MFA for Java Applications
Enabling MFA on your custom applications written in Java ensures a higher degree of security for your users. Enable a robust MFA solution to boost your cyber defenses and thwart hackers.
MFA for .NET Applications
Enable MFA on your custom .NET application to significantly decrease the likelihood of a successful cyberattack. Stop hackers from accessing the accounts of your users even if they have the passwords.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions for Industries
Each industry must comply with regulations specific to that industry. For example, Healthcare must abide by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Most regulations mandate the use of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Take a look at MFA Industry Solutions to better understand each industry’s unique requirements and how MFA can satisfy them.