What is multi-factor authentication (MFA), and why is it important?

Setting up MFA can seem daunting for consumers just beginning to clean up their security postures.

In this Help Net Security video, Larry Kinkaid, Manager, Cybersecurity Consulting at BARR Advisory, shares tips for consumers who need simple, accessible ways to secure their private data.

– Multi-factor authentication (MFA) should always be turned on if available, but a standard end-user can only manage the mechanisms supported by the services they’re using.
– Varying authentication methods complicate things. When you have dozens of accounts online, setting up MFA across all of them can seem daunting, especially when each service uses a different authentication method.
– For many consumers, it’s easier to start small. Using password vaults and generating strong, novel, and different passwords is an easy and often more accessible way to strengthen your security posture across all applications and services, regardless of whether they support MFA through tokens, SMS, or push notifications.