Here’s how to comply with Cyber Essentials Plus using MFA for VPN.
Cyber security is a crucial aspect of any organization’s operations in the digital age. Cyber threats can cause severe damage to your data, systems, reputation, and finances. You need a solid and dependable cybersecurity strategy to safeguard your organization from cyberattacks.
One of the ways to enhance your cyber security is to get certified by Cyber Essentials Plus. This is a scheme supported by the UK government that helps organizations implement five basic technical controls. These are secure configuration, boundary firewalls, access control, patch management, and malware protection.
Achieving Cyber Essentials Plus Certification Compliance Using VPN MFA
Cyber Essentials Plus is an advanced version of the Cyber Essentials scheme. The Cyber Essentials scheme requires organizations to self-assess their compliance with technical controls. Cyber Essentials Plus adds a practical technical verification by an external auditor. The auditor will check the efficiency of the implemented controls.
Getting certified by Cyber Essentials Plus has many advantages. It can help you lower the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches, which can affect your organization. It can also help you earn more trust and confidence from your customers and partners, as some government contracts and customers require or prefer this certification.
However, getting certified by Cyber Essentials Plus is not simple. It requires you to meet some rigorous requirements for multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA is a method of verifying a user’s identity by using two or more factors. These factors can be a password, a device, a token, or a biometric.
Why You Need to Secure Your VPN with Rublon MFA
VPNs are virtual private networks that allow you to connect to your organization’s network from anywhere in the world. They are useful for remote work, collaboration, and access to resources that are not on the public internet.
However, VPNs also expose you to high risks if they are not secured properly. VPNs are often accessible from the internet, which means they can be targeted by cybercriminals. Moreover, VPNs often use administrative accounts or accounts that have high permissions and access to sensitive data and systems. These accounts are essential for managing and maintaining your VPNs, but they also expose you to high risks if they are compromised.
According to the Cyber Essentials Plus scheme requirements document, organizations must prevent access to the administrative interface from the internet, unless there is a clear and documented business need. The interface must be protected by one of these controls:
- multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- an IP allowlist that limits access to a small range of trusted addresses combined with a properly managed password authentication approach
MFA is one of the two possible solutions for securing your VPNs’ administrative interface from the internet. Nevertheless, MFA is the better solution, as it provides more security and convenience than an IP allowlist. Hackers can easily bypass an IP allowlist by spoofing or changing IP addresses. In contrast, MFA can verify the user’s identity regardless of their IP address. An IP allowlist can also be challenging to manage and update as your organization grows or changes locations. On the other hand, MFA can scale easily with your organization’s needs.
Therefore, it is vital to secure your VPNs with Rublon MFA, as it can help you comply with the Cyber Essentials Plus requirements for multi-factor authentication and improve your cyber security posture.
How Rublon MFA Works
Rublon MFA is a simple and effective way to secure your VPNs with multi-factor authentication. It works with any VPN that supports RADIUS or SAML protocols. Rublon MFA integrates with your existing VPN infrastructure and adds an extra layer of security to your login process. This makes Rublon MFA a perfect product to comply with Cyber Essentials Plus.
With Rublon MFA, you have various options for authentication methods, such as push, SMS passcode, FIDO security key, and QR code. You can also set policies based on user roles and applications.
Rublon MFA provides you with a smooth and fast user experience. All you need to do is download the Rublon Authenticator app on your smartphone and enroll your device. When you log in to your VPN, you will receive a push notification on your phone that asks you to approve or deny the login request. You can also use the Email Link method if you do not want to install the app or use Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator if you prefer.
Rublon MFA provides you with visibility and control over your VPN access. You can monitor and audit all login attempts and devices in real time through the Rublon Admin Console. You can also manage users and devices, and enforce policies.
How Rublon MFA for VPN Helps You Comply with Cyber Essentials Plus
Rublon MFA helps you comply with the Cyber Essentials Plus requirements for multi-factor authentication by providing you with a secure and easy way to verify your users’ identity before granting them access to your VPN. Rublon MFA also helps you improve your cybersecurity posture by reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.
By using Rublon MFA, you can show your customers and partners that you take cybersecurity seriously and that you have implemented the best practices recommended by the UK government. You can also gain a competitive edge in the market, as some government contracts and customers may require or prefer organizations that have the Cyber Essentials Plus certification.
Rublon MFA is a trusted and proven solution that has been used by organizations from all around the world, including healthcare providers, educational institutions, and businesses of all sizes. Rublon MFA is also compliant with various industry standards and regulations, such as GDPR, NIS2, FTC Safeguards Rule, PCI DSS, HIPAA, NIST, and ISO 27001.
If you want to learn more about how Rublon MFA can help you secure your VPNs and comply with Cyber Essentials Plus, start a Free Trial:
