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What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)? Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is like adding a second lock to your front door. It's an extra layer of security that requires you to provide more than one piece of information to access your online accounts. These additional steps make it much harder for hackers to break in. Why is MFA Important? Even the strongest password can be cracked. By adding an extra layer of security, MFA considerably increases the difficulty for hackers to access your accounts. By using MFA, you're reducing the risk of your personal information falling into the wrong hands.  How does MFA work?  There are three authentication techniques, as I covered in the blog post "Cyber Security Awareness 004: Authentication.".  Something you know : This is usually a password or a PIN. It's information only you should know. Something you are : This uses unique parts of your body, like your fingerprint or facial features. It's a part of you. Somethin...

Password Madness It used to be simple to remember your passwords, you might have a couple of computers, a few email accounts and your bank count but as the internet grew so did the requirement for logins and as applications have moved to the cloud that's grown exponentially. When I first started in IT the requirement was 6 characters, a combination of 2 character types and it was only updated annually. The best practice soon changed to a minimum of 8 characters, a combination of 3 out of four (uppercase; lowercase; numbers; symbols). Moving towards the recommendation of today's options being: A sequence of random non-personalised words (4-6 words) A short sentence with punctuation Alternatively: At least 12 characters long but 14 or more is better A combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Not a word that can be found in a dictionary or the name of a person, character, product, or organisation. Significantly different from your prev...

Introduction to Authentication Authentication is like showing your ID to get into a building. It's proving who you say you are to access something online. Whether you're checking your bank account, buying something online, or logging into your email, authentication keeps your information safe. Think of it this way: when you visit a website or app, you need to make sure you're the person you claim to be. That's where authentication comes in. It's like a digital doorkeeper, checking your credentials to let you in. There are three main steps involved in authentication: Identification : You tell the system who you are, usually by entering your username. Verification : You prove your identity by entering a password or using a fingerprint or facial scan. Authorisation : The system checks if you can access what you're trying to see or do. Authentication is crucial to your digital identity and business because it helps protect your personal information and ...

Today on LinkedIn I was asked a relevant question about Assessing Needs for cyber security: " Begin by evaluating your current cybersecurity skill set against industry standards and the specific demands of your IS environment. Identify areas where you lag behind and need improvement. This might include knowledge of recent threats, mastery of new security software, or understanding advanced cyber defence strategies. Once you've pinpointed your skill gaps, you can create a targeted plan to address them, ensuring that your efforts are focused and effective. "  I found myself looking at all the answers professionals had posted and as one would expect they were all very relevant, but I thought they were lacking one crucial element, so I started posting my answer/comment, I had unfortunately run out of space so I've posted the full comment below: All of the standard answers to the question of assessing cyber security needs:  - Reviewing the risks against your current IS en...

 I'd like to offer a big MBC Blog welcome to Sahan Shahan is a graduated Cyber Security professional whom I've had the pleasure of working with previously and he's graciously offered to assist with posting some awareness articles on MBC. I look to more coffees & conversations moving ahead, thanks Sahan!

Will your job exist in 20 years?  Below is a draft I started (but never published) in early 2018 This is not one of my normal IT posts and I wouldn't consider myself a Futurist but I've been seeing a few developments over the past few years that have ignited this notion. In the not-so-distant future, I believe we will start to see a higher frequency in the near obsolete jobs. I.e. With the proliferation of the electric car into the public arena over time, we will see a shift in jobs which will come close to, if not obsolete. In this scenario, we'll see a reduction in jobs in the logistics industry as trucks and trains become more automated and efficient. Ride-sharing Companies like Uber will develop their own electric self-driving cars that will be more cost-effective for the companies and customers, giving way to greater availability and essentially killing off the Taxi industry as we know it today. The need for every household to own more than ...