The days of securing a computer, application or website with a basic username and password are long gone. Hackers are more sophisticated than ever and the value of data is on the rise. To this end, advanced authentication, or multi-factor authentication, is becoming the norm. Advanced authentication adds an additional layer of security to the standard username and password, which is needed not only to protect data, but also to comply with strict regulations such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOX and FERPA, to name but a few.
Where things get tricky with advanced authentication is when it affects the ease of accessing information. We live in a time where technology is centered around ‘user-friendliness’. Thus, finding the appropriate balance of security and access can be tough. If the login process is overcomplicated, it results in unsafe situations – such as sticky notes with passwords on the monitor – as well as frequent calls to the helpdesk to reset a forgotten password and unproductive downtime while a user waits for a password reset. Conversely, if an organization experiences a data breach, they lose the trust of their customers and may have to pay out enormous fines for breaching compliance regulations.
The good news? You don’t have to choose between access or security anymore. You can secure your data, adhere to compliance pressures and keep access simple for the user. With IDaaS products such as HelloID, administrators can customize the factors of authentication required on a per user, per app and per group bases. Some groups with advanced rights, such as admins, can be configured to require extra factors of authentication as the data they have requires additional security measures. User groups that have access to less sensitive data can be configured to need lower levels of authentication to gain access; sometimes a simple username and password may suffice. Configuring on a per app basis is also becoming increasingly popular. Apps such as QuickBooks that contain sensitive financial information can be configured to require advanced authentication, regardless of which user is accessing the data. Additional factors such as time of day, location and device type can also be criteria for consideration.
Enjoy the win, win of robust security and simple access with HelloID.