Risks of Not Using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Without multi-factor authentication (MFA), cybercriminals can much more easily gain access to an account. Once the username and password are acquired, every transaction will be treated as valid, and basic security measures cannot prevent it.
Phishing is a worryingly easy method of stealing user data. Cybercriminals send out fake emails and make phone calls to trick you into giving up your information, including your login credentials. According to Phishing.org, here are the most common giveaways of a phishing email:
- The email seems too good to be true
- The email has a sense of urgency
- Suspicious hyperlinks in the email
- Suspicious attachments in the email
- Unusual sender
Aside from phishing, there are a lot of other ways scammers can get their hands on user information. Using complex programs, these criminals can execute brute force attacks to generate random passwords and guess your login information. Keyloggers can also be used to record every stroke you make on your keyboard.
How to Protect Yourself
Apart from enabling MFA, creating a strong and unique password for every account is a must. Using the same password for multiple accounts is convenient, but a big no in terms of security.
It is recommended to have a reliable password manager such as Trend Micro Password Manager to help you generate strong passwords and store them in a safe place. The best thing about a quality password manager is that you only need to remember one master password to log in to all your online accounts.
