The era of exclusive username and password logins is on its final descent, with the rise of multi-factor authentication improving security and reassurance for businesses and end-users alike. As the pandemic forced employees to work from home, passwords became a focal point for cybercriminals, with 80% of hacking breaches coming as a result of poor password management.
There’s also the large risk of account takeover, whereby criminals hijack employees’ legitimate accounts to use for malicious purposes – such as stealing sensitive and financial information. This is a particularly elevated risk for organizations using Office 365. A recent survey found that 70% of medium to large organizations that run Office 365 had an average of seven account takeovers in the last twelve months.
This is where MFA comes in, but how does it work, and what features make solutions stand-out for your business?
What Is Multi-Factor Authentication?
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security tool that requires users to verify their identity when logging on to devices, applications or services. Users will only be able to log into their service once a minimum of two factors have been met to confirm their identity.
The majority of digital accounts are secured through one method of identity, typically the standard ‘username and password’. However, using an MFA adds an extra layer of security by utilizing one-time passcodes, authentication apps, email approvals, and even biometrics which can be accessed by another of the user’s devices.
How Does Multi-Factor Authentication Work?
When multi-factor authentication is enabled, users will be prompted to enter another form of authentication when they log-in to accounts, normally after inputting the username and password.
There are a number of available options for authentication factors, depending on the MFA solution you implement. One-time passcodes involve the end-user receiving a unique passcode (usually around 6 digits) in the form of a text, email, or via an authentication app such as Microsoft Authenticator. End-users may also have the option of using biometrics, for instance, fingerprint or face recognition technology, or even use physical tokens such as key cards or ID fobs.
MFA integration is very versatile and can be achieved through a few different methods. For instance, Office 365 allows admins to configure multi-factor authentication by default, which can be activated to enable enhanced security features.
However, there are also dedicated MFA solutions, such as Duo or Ping, which can be used as a central hub where, once signed in, the user can access all of their corporate accounts with MFA enforced, according to admin policies.
When it comes to management and enterprise identity, each solution can come with its own unique admin policies which can heavily influence how MFA is deployed. Methods such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and adaptive authentication can also be supported; 2FA utilizes just two forms of authentication, like it says on the tin.
Why Your Business Needs MFA For Office 365
Post pandemic, the ‘working from home’ trend has become a staple for many businesses’ working models. As online team collaboration has been a necessity, the cloud has become an integral part of working systems, which means securing access to cloud application has become paramount.
As remote teams have become essential, many businesses are utilizing Office 365 to help manage remote working, using emails, Teams, and OneDrive as a single hub for users’ work. Having access to all this information in one platform greatly increases accessibility for users when it comes to accessing the work and data they need, without the fuss of managing multiple different services.
However, there is a caveat. With all the information in one place, it only takes one account to be compromised before all your organizations’ private and sensitive data, documents, and customer information could be in hands of a criminal. Therefore, when using Office 365, there’s an increased risk of phishing and malware attacks. And with this added threat comes a higher need to implement extra security measures, such as MFA solutions.
With over 730,000 users in the US alone, protecting your office suite could save your online business contents and financial data, as well as protecting your end-users’ work and contributions too. With that, here are our recommendations for 5 features to look for when choosing an MFA for Office 365.
5 Features To Look For In An MFA Solution For O365
1) Integrated Single Sign-on
When it comes to Office 365, having a feature which enables users to effortlessly sign into the suite is important, considering the number of apps at their disposal. A way to make this happen is by using MFA solutions that enable single sign-on (SSO) features. SSO can play a huge role into ease of access down the line for end-users.
As the name states, with SSO a user will sign in once, and the SSO solution will synchronize their device and account across all of your corporate applications. This enables users to seamlessly access corporate accounts without having to sign into each app individually, saving time and reducing the risk of being locked out.
Utilizing SSO reduces the risk of poor password practice too, as users will only need to use one password, negating the need to create complex passwords for each application. Moreover, MFAs have the ability to integrate SSO to cover a businesses’ corporate accounts – enabling admins to garner higher account visibility and control across the business through a single platform.
2) Reporting
Automated, detailed security reports with information on where logins are taking place, and when multiple failed login attempts have occurred are crucial to determining whether login attempts are genuine, or whether the security of your business has been compromised.
The warning signs that reports flag can be critical to mitigate against the potential dangers of lateral account takeovers. When looking for an MFA solution for Office 365, having integrated, customizable, and robust reporting features is essential. Strong reporting functionality can also aid organizations when it comes to auditing and regulatory compliance.
3) Policy Configuration Via One Admin Console
Admin consoles are crucial when it comes to organizing security policies, providing a comprehensive overview of high-level authentication processes, as well as access to user reports and threats. Through the console, admins should be able to centrally manage users access to devices, applications and networks.
When deciding on an MFA solution, it’s also important that the solution provides policy configuration capabilities, enabling the implementation of global policies as well as user and application specific level policies.
Within Office 365, MFA solutions can be configured to implement conditional access policies, which can deny users access to the suite if their account isn’t MFA approved, or deny access to those who do not access the apps from a specific network. With a dedicated MFA solution in, admins can set a range of policies and conditions to make the Office suite as accessible or secure as is suitable for the business.
4) Adaptive And Risk-Based Authentication (RBA)
Adaptive, or risk-based authentication, is an advanced form for MFA that offers seamless logins for users and helps inform admins of inbound threats of anonymous login behavior.
Adaptive MFA monitors and analyzes users’ typical login patterns looking at particular identifying factors to generate a typical pattern, or baseline, to help identify when there is abnormal access to the account.
These factors include time of login, device, and location. When an abnormality is detected, the user will be prompted for further authentication or, the admin is alerted and can analyze the threat, according to admin policies.
Implementing adaptive MFA with Office 365 should be effortless, as the suite is synonymous with businesses worldwide. However, when it comes to MFA, ensure that your users will be able to provide the security details that they need to login, for instance not every user may have access to biometric scanners, so applying conforming policies is key. Each solution is unique, so ensuring that the solution has the capabilities to be tailored to your business is a paramount.
5) Support Of Different Authentication Methods
By allowing for more authentication methods, MFA solutions can be more accessible whilst not compromising on the levels of security. Businesses can save time and resources by reducing raised issues of adding and removing authentication devices.
With this feature, admins can increase the accessibility for the Office suite, where users can decide which authentication method is the most effective and comfortable for them. Whether using biometric, OTP, or emails, ensuring the MFA has the capacity to host a multitude of authentication methods allows for streamlined, reassured account access for everyone.
Summary
Account security must be a top priority for businesses, especially given the dangers unauthorized access can lead to. And with Office 365 being one of the most popular office suites on the market, ensuring that an effective and secure authorization system is in-place for your business and users is essential.
If you’re looking to implement an authentication solution for Office 365 and are considering the options available, we’ve put together a buyers’ guide to the Top 10 Authentication Solutions For Office 365—which you can read here.
