Multi Factor Authentication with Microsoft 365

Multi Factor Authentication with Microsoft 365

We are living in a time of unprecedented levels of cyber threats, and any wise organisation will be making it a priority to scrutinise their current security protocols. After all, with recent high profile cyber-attacks targeting everything from local councils and educational establishments, through to large utilities providers, no organisation can afford to remain complacent.

Fortunately, there are many great ways in which you can make your organisation more secure, and, even better, you don’t need to be a tech genius to implement them. Simply upgrading to the Microsoft 365 suite for your company can provide valuable cyber security tools, including the ability to enable multi factor authentication.

What Is Multi Factor Authentication?

A popular security buzzword, multi factor authentication is a means of providing access to your systems that requires more than one method of identification or verification. Such methods usually fall under three categories (“something you know”, “something you have”, or “something you are”), and, in practice, this means that instead of simply entering a password in order to gain access to your company’s files and data, a user will also be asked to verify their identity by providing extra details. This can take the form of a fingerprint scan (as seen in many mobile devices), or entering a unique, one-time code sent by text message to an authorised number. In this way, your systems are far offered far greater protection than a password and username combination alone can provide.

The Benefits Of Microsoft 365 Multi Factor Authentication

When you enable Microsoft Authenticator on Office 365, you can enjoy all the security benefits that multi factor authentication can offer. This useful app is extremely quick and easy to use, and is perfectly suited to modern working life. When you or your team wish to access your work account, the first step will be to enter your username and password as normal. The next step will be to open up the Authenticator app on a smartphone and see the six-figure code which has been generated just for you. Enter this number too, and you will have successfully verified your identity and be able to access your work account. This is because your smartphone meets the criteria of “something you have”, which, coupled with the username and password log-in component (“something you know”), comprises an effective multi factor authentication process.

A Smart Move

It’s clear, then, that opting for Microsoft Authenticator with Office 365 is a straightforward and smart means of helping to protect your organisation, by providing a more rigorous and secure log in method. Alongside other cyber security measures, using this app can help to provide the valuable protection your organisation needs in today’s world.

For more information on this, please contact one of the experts at Andromeda Solutions today.