The average American underestimates the importance of keeping information stored and transmitted online secure, finding two-factor authentication (2FA) to be more of a hassle than its worth. Business owners know better, though. They understand that the safeguarding of information is crucial to a company’s reputation and success. Anyone who isn’t on that page yet can read on to find out about the benefits of 2FA for preventing business account vulnerability that should change their minds.
1. Strengthen Login Security
When using 2FA for a remote desktop gateway, the user will need to provide extra proof of authorization to access the account. Unlike passwords, which can be weak or reused across accounts despite expert admonishments not to do that, 2FA makes it very difficult for hackers to gain access through phishing, malware attacks, or sheer good luck. Because 2FA requires users to input information from either something that they have, such as a text message to a personal cell phone, or personal history that others wouldn’t be able to guess, it all but eliminates the chances of cybercriminals being able to sign in.
2. Avoid Reputational Damage
Every year, millions of personal records are exposed during data breaches. These breaches can land companies in a good deal of trouble if they haven’t taken adequate precautions to prevent the attacks. Plus, even if no fines are levied against them, consumers typically take their business elsewhere after a business they patronize experiences a data breach, and understandably so. People want to feel that their personal information is well protected, and breaches that occur as a result of security lapses on the part of business account holders feel like a violation of their trust.
3. Reduce Helpdesk Support Costs
By far the top support issue in today’s online business environments is forgotten passwords. The problem is that without 2FA, users can only recover passwords by reaching out to IT or customer support, taking up time for everyone and causing costly delays. Because it can take up to 20 minutes of both a worker’s and a helpdesk support employee’s time to confirm the user’s identity and issue a new password, calls about lost passwords add up to a lot of lost productivity.
Two-factor authentication eliminates the need for business account holders to contact the helpdesk for password resets. Instead, the process can be completed securely but automatically from the user’s computer using personal devices, biometrics, or information.
4. Get Real-Time Access Alerts
Another great thing about 2FA is that it allows users to set their accounts up so that only some devices are recognized. Limiting access to recognized devices triggers 2FA events any time another person tries to sign into the account on an unrecognized device, alerting the user in real-time to potential breach attempts. Plus, when business accounts are protected by 2FA, breach attempts can be handled more efficiently since the company’s security team will be able to track the perpetrator while still providing the worker with the means to sign back into their account.
2FA Is Worth the Hassle
Business owners and IT professionals need to make sure that employees and account holders understand the value of 2FA, especially if they spend some or all of their time working remotely. The purpose of requiring 2FA when logging into an account remotely is to keep everyone’s information safe. When business account holders understand that, they tend to view it in a more positive light.
