Last updated on April 3, 2024
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) improves your login experience by strengthening your online accounts with an extra layer of security. The extra layer of protection most often is a time-based one-time code, a text message with a one-time password sent to your phone number, or a Mobile Push authentication request sent to your smartphone after you have installed an authenticator app.
Two-Factor Authentication should be an essential part of any modern cybersecurity plan. It is already mandatory for cyber insurance and federal agencies.
There is no doubt that Two-Factor Authentication is here to stay, so it is a good idea to learn all its secrets. But before we deep-dive into the world of Two-Factor Authentication, let us start with a quick recap of why passwords are not a sufficient form of authentication.
Why Are Passwords Not Good Enough?
Default authentication is still based on passwords. Any other form of authentication always comes as an alternative or additional step; something extra a user can but does not have to do.
Passwords are user-friendly and easy to use, which is partly the reason for the status quo of password authentication. Moreover, passwords are ubiquitous, so even people who are not tech-savvy are familiar with this form of authentication.
But password authentication is all but secure. Passwords are vulnerable to many types of attacks:
- Brute-force Attacks
- Rainbow Table Attacks
- Dictionary Attacks
- Keylogger Attacks
- Credential Stuffing Attacks
- Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
- Phishing Attacks
- Passwords Spraying
Certainly, there are things you can do to make your passwords stronger, and spending time on leveraging your password security is not time wasted. However, even a strong password is easy to hack relative to stronger forms of authentication. A wide range of possible attacks and the fact a single string of characters is all that separates an attacker from your personal information is enough a reason to pronounce passwords as an obsolete and insecure means of authentication in the modern world.
Summing up, usernames and passwords are not secure enough. If you protect your account with only a password, malicious actors can gain unauthorized access to your account and steal your data. Solution? Two-Factor Authentication.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to the Rescue
In the past few years, malicious attacks on companies have become more common than ever before. Thankfully, it also has been easier for businesses to gain more data security and secure protection by introducing Two-Factor Authentication to their workforce.
More and more people realize that passwords are easily hackable and ask themselves: How do I mitigate the risks associated with the low security of passwords?
One way is to replace a password with a stronger authentication method. But you can also use both, one after another.
To increase the security of your accounts, networks, and applications, you need authentication based on something stronger than a piece of evidence that you know something.
What Is 2FA?
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a type of authentication that uses exactly two distinct authentication factors to decide if a person is who they say they are.
Authentication factors are categories of evidence a user must demonstrate to prove their identity. There are three authentication factors:
- Knowledge Factor (something you know) – e.g., password, security question
- Possession Factor (something you have) – e.g., smartphone, security key
- Inheritance Factor (something you are) – e.g., fingerprint, facial recognition
If you use two same authentication factors, e.g., two Knowledge Factors, then you are undergoing Two-Step Verification (2SV) but not Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
How Does Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Work?
Two-Factor Authentication is a combination of two distinct authentication factors. The first factor is usually still your password, which is the Knowledge Factor (something you know). The second factor must be either the Possession Factor (something you have) or the Inherence Factor (something you are).
Usually, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) looks as follows:
- In the first step of user authentication, a user has to present the Knowledge Factor. Usernames and passwords are usually used to confirm the user’s identity in this step.
- In the second step, a user has to present the Possession Factor or the Inherence Factor.
The Possession Factor involves demonstrating possession of a physical device such as a hardware token or a mobile phone. A broad range of authentication methods uses the Possession Factor: sending a push notification to the user’s mobile device, scanning a QR Code, sending an authentication code via text message, and using a physical key that generates one-time codes.
The Inherence Factor is biometrics. Scanning your fingerprint or eye retinal pattern to confirm your identity are examples of biometric authentication methods.
Using the Possession Factor and Inherence Factor while skipping the Knowledge Factor is also a type of Two-Factor Authentication. However, it is not as widely spread.
Understanding Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
A malicious actor does not have to hack your password to gain unauthorized access to your account. Frequent data breaches compromise millions of passwords every month. Even a person with no technical knowledge can pick a set of credentials from one of the dozens of data breaches and try to use these credentials to sign in to your account. Given how easy it is to perform the preceding, you need to secure your account with an additional layer of security that will thwart hackers from gaining access to your data.
Deploying Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your applications means that a malicious actor is not able to gain access to your account even if they have your password. While still theoretically possible, hacking the second factor is incomparably more difficult. Especially if you use an authenticator app installed on your mobile phone (e.g., Rublon Authenticator) or a WebAuthn/U2F Security Key.
Examples of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Consider the following examples of Two-Factor Authentication:
- Username and Password + Mobile Push
- Username and Password + WebAuthn/U2F Security Key
- PIN + Credit Card
Examples of Two-Step Verification (2SV)
Consider the following examples of Two-Step Verification (also known as Two-Step Authentication) that is not Two-Factor Authentication:
- First Password + Second Password
- Password + Security Question
- Password + Email Link
If you wish to learn more about the difference between 2FA and 2SV, refer to What’s the Difference Between 2FA and 2SV.
Why Is 2FA Important?
Two-Factor Authentication protects you against most security threats targeting passwords and accounts. Hackers can not pretend to be you if hackers cannot first get access to your account.
If you only protect your accounts with passwords, an attacker can hack into your account remotely over the Internet. A user may not even realize that something is wrong until it is too late.
Using a security key or mobile device as part of Two-Factor Authentication requires a malicious actor to also hack your key or device, which is incomparably harder.
Is Two-Factor Authentication Secure?
Two-Factor Authentication is significantly more secure than using only your password. Properly implemented MFA stops 99.9% attacks on your accounts, says Microsoft.
The security of authentication methods depends not just on their type but also on their implementation. A faulty implementation makes even the most secure authentication method easy to compromise. That is why if you are looking for a Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) system, you must look for solutions developed by experts in the field of cybersecurity. If you know a thing or two about programming, creating your own security system may be tempting, but this is never a good idea.
Not all authentication methods are equally secure. For example, SMS-based 2FA is simple to implement and user-friendly. Unfortunately, SMS-based 2FA is vulnerable to numerous attacks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) discouraged using mobile text messages in its Special Publication 800-63-3: Digital identity guidelines. The NIST noted that One-Time Passwords (OTP) sent via SMS are too vulnerable to attacks. While you should use other authentication methods if you can, some circumstances make SMS Passcode your only choice for Two-Factor Authentication. If you can, however, use Mobile Push instead.
How to Deploy 2FA?
Details differ from implementation to implementation, but deploying a Two-Factor Authentication system involves similar steps across multiple products available today. Let us take a look at how to deploy Rublon Two-Factor Authentication.
- Create a new Rublon Admin Console organization
- Ensure you have an Identity Provider (Active Directory, OpenLDAP, FreeRADIUS)
- Install a dedicated connector (e.g., RD Web Access 2FA, RDG 2FA, or Rublon Authentication Proxy)
- Refer to our documentation for integration instructions for VPNs, Cloud Apps, Microsoft Products such as RD Web Client 2FA and more. Our instructions will walk you through the integration process step by step
- Enjoy Two-Factor Authentication in your favorite application or service.
5 Things to Remember When Using Two-Factor Authentication
Although Two-Factor Authentication significantly increases the level of security in your workforce and introduces a strong set of security measures across multiple accounts, you still need to remember several things.
1. All Authentication Methods Are Breakable
Possession and Inherence factors are breakable. They are generally harder to hack than the Knowledge Factor, but a faulty implementation can make them susceptible. Moreover, malicious actors may use one of many types of attacks against these factors. For example, attacks that break the Possession Factor include intercepting text messages, gaining remote access to a mobile phone, SIM swapping (to make SMS messages come to the attacker), and more. 2FA mitigates security risks but cannot eliminate them, especially given how some compromises happen due to human error.
2. It’s Human to Err, It’s Smart to Learn
Humans are fallible. It is sometimes hard to admit it, but we all make mistakes. Every implementation of Two-Factor Authentication should take human error into account. Still, it is impossible to eliminate the possibility of a user accepting a fraudulent login attempt by mistake or giving their credentials to an authorized party. User training and spreading cybersecurity awareness is the number one strategy to fight human error. Two-Factor Authentication helps by requiring users to demonstrate their possession of devices or their biometric features. When asked to present additional identity proof, the user has more time to think about the validity of the login attempt, and the hacker has it much harder to gain access to an account.
3. You Must Use Trusted Devices Carefully
You must keep your trusted devices away from prying eyes. Your personal mobile phone with an authenticator app is a guarantee of the security of your identity on the web. If you use an authenticator app to sign in to an application, make sure never to leave your mobile device in a place where another party might use it to your disadvantage. Lock all your trusted devices using a fingerprint lock. In most systems, Two-Factor Authentication is skipped for trusted devices, so it is of utmost importance to ensure the safety of these devices.
4. 2FA Is More Than Just Two Factors
It’s true that Two-Factor Authentication requires two distinct authentication factors. However, every good 2FA solution comes with many additional essential products such as Single Sign-On and Access Policies. As a result, 2FA should do much more than just add one more authentication factor to your usernames and passwords. Authorization, security controls, security policies, and access control are all things you must consider. Check the availability of these measures when looking for a 2FA solution for your workforce.
5. Not all Two-Step Verification is 2FA
As demonstrated earlier in this article, not every authentication that uses two factors can be considered Two-Factor Authentication. That is why you should be extra careful when deciding the authentication method you want to use. We recommend you use Mobile Push or WebAuthn/U2F Security Key because these two authentication methods are widely considered to be the most secure.
Why Not Add More Factors
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) requires you to demonstrate two distinct authentication factors.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) requires you to demonstrate at least two distinct authentication factors.
Add the third factor to further improve your account security.
Everybody Should Have 2FA
Every company should deploy Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
Two-Factor Authentication considerably improves account security and protects you against data breaches and ransomware.
Passwords still make up a high percentage of authentication methods. Using passwords is not discouraged. It is OK to use a password as the first factor. However, you must also use another authentication factor. To do this, introduce 2FA to your everyday log-in flow. Installing and configuring a smartphone app takes much less time and costs less than dealing with the results of a security incident.
Cybercrime has been around for years, and Two-Factor Authentication awareness has increased. More and more companies employ 2FA each month. More companies with 2FA mean stronger worldwide account security.
At Rublon, we all agree: “Everybody should have 2FA”. We hope that the awareness of 2FA will increase even more, as 2FA is becoming the number one way of protection against cybercrime.
2FA Made Easy With Rublon
Rublon offers a comprehensive Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) solution with Access Policies and Single Sing-On. Our products enable VPN 2FA, RDP 2FA, and Linux SSH using several authentication methods.
The Rublon Authenticator is a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices. Rublon Authenticator allows you to use the Mobile Push, a secure Two-Factor Authentication method that protects you against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.
Rublon’s versatility allows for risk-based authentication. Rublon enables you to find the kind of Adaptive Authentication that best suits your diverse user base and individual Two-Factor Authentication requirements.
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