While multi-factor authentication (MFA)
doesn’t necessarily add security, it can add an extra layer of protection to your data and resources, making it more difficult for intruders to gain access to them. AWS users can take advantage of MFA by configuring the service’s built-in or custom MFA, depending on their specific needs.What is MFA (multi-factor authentication)?
Mult-factor authentication is simply a technique that adds another layer of security to your login process.
With basic authentication (something you know), a thief can sometimes just guess your password and get into your account.
But with multi-factor authentication (something you know plus something you have or something you are), even if someone guesses or steals your password, they still need another factor – like an access code texted to your phone – to log in.
For example, Amazon Web Services uses an extra step for all users by requiring them to use their phone number for two-factor authentication before logging in.
Why is multi-factor authentication necessary?
There are many ways you can lose access to your AWS resources. But, it’s hard to think of any more effective way to lock yourself out than by losing access to your credentials.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps keep your account secure even if you lose control of your primary user’s name and password.
MFA adds an extra layer of security by making sure that a person is physically present on their device when they log into their account on a new session.
What are the benefits of multi-factor authentication?
When you set up multi-factor authentication, you’ll get an email, text message, or phone call every time a user tries to access your account.
If someone who doesn’t have your regular password attempts to log into your account from a new device, they will be denied access to your account.
This protection makes it much harder for hackers and other intruders to compromise your data or steal information from within your system.
Plus, with multifactor authentication, users will receive a much higher level of protection because their passwords alone are not enough to gain access.
For example, if someone steals one of your passwords, he or she still needs another piece of information to break into that account.
How does multi-factor authentication work?
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security to your account, by requiring something you know (your password) and something you have (an authenticator app or hardware token).
If someone tries to log into your account from a new computer or device, they’ll also need access to your phone or hardware token—which is stored separately.
This means even if someone has most of your info, like your password and the last four digits of your credit card number, they still can’t break into your account without having possession of an additional piece of information.
What is adaptive multi-factor authentication?
Add multi-factor authentication to your AWS account for greater security. Multi-factor authentication uses something you know and something you have—like a phone, smart card, or a fob device—to verify your identity when you sign into Amazon Web Services (AWS).
It’s a strong defense against attackers who might try to impersonate you. Learn more about adaptive multi-factor authentication on AWS.
What is AWS identity?
IAM is a web service that manages users and user permissions to make sure your account stays safe and secure. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an optional layer of security that helps protect access to your account from hijacking or phishing attacks.
With MFA, you can sign in to your account only after presenting two things: Something you know (your password) and something you have (an SMS code or hardware token).
These authentication factors help mitigate risk by ensuring that unauthorized users can’t get access to your account even if they have your login information.
By creating IAM policies with specific permissions, you can also restrict which AWS resources each user has access to—keeping sensitive data more secure.
Best practices for setting up multi-factor authentication
With Multi-factor authentication, you have both something you know (such as a password) and something you have (such as an authenticator app on your phone).
This adds a layer of security for anyone accessing your account. Here are best practices for setting up multi-factor authentication on your Amazon Web Services account.
- Enable multi-factor authentication, even if it is optional In addition to strengthening security for access to Amazon Web Services, enabling multi-factor authentication can also prevent someone from using your login credentials by resetting them without needing access to physical devices like phones or authenticator apps.
- Keep track of all your two-factor tokens Now that you’ve turned on MFA, it’s time to back up all those one-time codes!
What are the multi-factor authentication methods?
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps add an extra layer of security to your AWS account. Users who log into their accounts from new devices or locations are required to verify their identity with a second method like a PIN code sent via text message.
This simple addition can help prevent malicious hackers from gaining access to your data. There are two types of MFA available for Amazon Web Services users: username/password and hardware.
Hardware MFA is a physical device that you carry around and presents to your computer when logging in from an unfamiliar location.
This can be any number of devices, including SIM cards, FIDO keys, Google Titan Keys, or USB Security Tokens with RSA SecurID Software Tokens like SecurID 6Xtreme.
What are examples of multi-factor authentication?
With two-factor authentication, you have to provide two things: something you know and something you have.
Examples of something you know include a password or personal identification number (PIN). Examples of something you have include a token device or phone.
Multi-factor authentication is an effective way to protect your account from unauthorized access, especially because attackers usually require multiple accounts.
In most cases, they’ll want your regular login information along with access to one of your security tokens.
By adding more factors, you’re making it much harder for them to accomplish their goal of getting into one account that can give them access to other services as well.
How can artificial intelligence improve multi-factor authentication?
In theory, multi-factor authentication is a very effective way to protect digital accounts and even physical spaces by requiring not only a login and password but also a secondary form of verification.
Traditional multi-factor authentication typically relies on something you know (your password) and something you have (the mobile device that sends an automated verification code).
In 2017, however, there were 3.2 billion data records breached, which is not surprising considering how much easier it has become for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information.
In 2016, PwC estimated that cybercrime cost the world 445 billion dollars annually.