What is the difference between 2FA Two-Factor Authentication and MFA Multifactor?

Improving the security of your business, company and personal computers has never been easier, and it’s really that simple. In the past, a simple password was the “safest” way to protect important data and documents.

Passwords only provide a layer of security, and once that layer of security is compromised, access is facilitated even to unauthorized persons. Hence Solutel, as cybersecurity experts recommend taking security measures such as 2FA and MFA but what are the differences?

What is the difference between 2FA Two-Factor Authentication and MFA Multifactor?

• • The term “2FA”

refers to “two-factor authentication” and is an authentication method that requires the user to provide two pieces of information to access an account or perform a transaction, this is done to increase security by requiring a second layer of verification in addition to the password.

When you want to log in to one of your 2FA-protected accounts, most of the time you will be asked to enter your password first. Remember: a password is quite easy for any experienced computer hacker to crack, especially when more than 80% of us reuse the same password for multiple accounts and for long periods of time.
2FA is the next security step, during which you will be asked to enter the second part of the authentication. It will be particularly difficult for the cybercriminal to get through it. But what information can be considered worthy of authentication? Most security experts agree that the criteria for authenticating information should be:

• • • Something you know. Normally a password is used for this option.
    • Something you have. A secondary device, an authentication application or an access card.
    • Something that is unique to you. This usually involves biometric data: face, retina and finger or fingerprint scans.

But not all 2FA-protected accounts start with a password; it can be a combination of any of the above three options.

Don’t confuse 2FA with two-step verification! Two-step verification is the method that only uses two forms of “something you know”. For example, if you were to log in to an account protected by two-step verification, you would first need to enter your password and then provide a secondary piece of similar data, such as a PIN code or one-time password.

• • The term MFA “multifactor authentication”.

refers to any authentication system that uses more than two factors. For example, a three-factor authentication system would require the user to provide three pieces of information to access an account or perform a transaction. This is done to further increase security by requiring multiple layers of verification in addition to the password. Each layer can be something the user knows, something the user has, or something the user is, such as a fingerprint or facial verification.

Cisco Duo is a multi-factor authentication(MFA) system that provides Zero-Trust security to the entire workforce of the organization.

WHAT IS CISCO DUO?

Cisco Duo is a multi-factor authentication(MFA) system that provides Zero-Trust security to the entire workforce of the organization. Thanks to this solution, a company can protect all applications and confidential information.

HOW DOES THE CISCO DUO MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM PROTECT COMPANIES?

The MFA system proposed by Cisco protects organizations as follows:

• ESTABLISHES USER CONFIDENCE

  Verifies the identity of all users before granting access to corporate applications and resources and verifies that they have an identity that can be trusted. It does this in seconds to protect any device from malicious access.

• ENSURES THAT ALL DEVICES ARE HEALTHY

  The system provides detailed information on each type of device browsing corporate applications, on all platforms.

Verify that all devices that want to access the company’s applications, corporate and personally owned, are not infected.

The status of every device in the organization, whether managed by the enterprise or not, is monitored in real time. Plus, with Duo’s trusted device capabilities it requires no additional software or infrastructure and, because it is a cloud-based solution, it will stay ahead of the latest security threats.

• ESTABLISHES AND APPLIES ADAPTIVE USER POLICIES

  The system gives users the level of access they need. Duo’s advanced policy enforcement capabilities allow you to define security requirements at the user, device and application level, based on contextual factors such as location and update status.

It ensures that the company complies with device access control and verifies that the organization is aligned with device access policies.

• ENABLES SECURE REMOTE ACCESS TO ALL APPLICATIONS

Allow your employees to telework without compromising your company’s data. Duo provides modern remote access solutions and protects existing IT infrastructure, making it easy to onboard new employees and have them work anywhere.
Thanks to Cisco Duo, a company can enable secure remote access with or without a VPN, easily establish access policies per application, and provide easy and secure SSH access. It allows employees to perform their functions remotely without compromising company data.

Duo provides modern remote access and single sign-on solutions, enabling employees to access their applications quickly and easily from anywhere. In addition, it is backed by Cisco, which has been recognized as a leading Zero Trust organization by Forrester Consulting.