WHICH FORM OF MFA IS THE MOST SECURE? WHICH IS THE MOST CONVENIENT?

Credential theft is now at an alltime high and is responsible for more data breaches than any other type of attack. With data and business processes now largely cloud-based, a user’s password is the quickest and easiest way to conduct many different types of dangerous activities. 

One of the best ways to protect your online accounts, data, and business operations is with multifactor authentication (MFA). It provides a significant barrier to cybercriminals even if they have a legitimate user credential to log in. This is because they most likely will not have access to the device that receives the MFA code required to complete the authentication process. 

What Are the Three Main Methods of MFA? 

When you implement multi-factor authentication at your business, it’s important to compare the three main methods of MFA and not just assume all methods are the same. There are key differences that make some more secure than others and some more convenient. Let’s take a look at what these three methods are:

Most Convenient Form of MFA? 

The most convenient form of MFA would be the SMS-based MFA. Most people are already used to getting text messages on their phones so there is no new interface to learn and no app to install. But, the SMS-based is actually the least secure because there is malware out there now that can clone a SIM card, which would allow a hacker to get those MFA text messages. 

Most Secure Form of MFA? 

If your company handles sensitive data in a cloud platform then it may be in your best interest to go for better security. The most secure form of MFA is the security key. The security key, being a separate device altogether, won’t leave your accounts unprotected in the event of a mobile phone being lost or stolen. Both the SMS-based and app-based versions would leave your accounts at risk in this scenario.