This year, as cyber incidents continued to be one the rise, one of the key topics of consideration was the role of strong authentication in protecting organisations against the risk of cyber threats. And despite the widespread use of passwords for authentication, they continue to have a number of limitations that make them one of the main vulnerabilities in a security setting,

One problem with passwords is that they can be easily guessed or hacked. A surprising number of people still use simple, easily guessable passwords, such as “password” or “123456,” which can be easily cracked by attackers. Even more complex passwords can also be vulnerable to attack through techniques such as dictionary attacks, which involve trying common words and phrases as passwords. In addition, passwords can be vulnerable to attack through brute force methods, which involve trying every possible combination of characters until the correct password is found.

Another issue with passwords is that they can be shared or stolen. If a password is shared with others or falls into the wrong hands, it can be used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. The recent severe data breach at LastPass is a prime example of even secure passwords landing the in the wrong hands. Sharing of passwords in particular is a major concern for businesses, as employees may share passwords for convenience or accidentally reveal them through social engineering attacks. For example, an attacker may pretend to be a trusted colleague and request access to a password through a fake email or phone call.

No password login solution from Okta

So, what can businesses do to address these issues? One solution is to implement strong authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires users to provide an additional form of authentication, such as a code sent to their phone or a biometric scan, in addition to their password. This makes it much more difficult for attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Okta’s MFA solution is an effective way for businesses to implement strong authentication and protect against potential data breaches. Their suite of solutions contribute to a reduction in risk of a security breach by upto 75%. Okta not only helps to deliver a strong end-user experience that balances security and productivity, their MFA also empowers organisations to meet compliance and regulatory requirements.