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How to upgrade your security with Microsoft Entra Multi-Factor Authentication

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In the constantly changing world of cybersecurity, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a critical line of defense against unauthorized access to sensitive data. As hackers develop more sophisticated forms of cyberattacks, it becomes more and more essential to implement MFA within your organization. In this blog, we will lay out the best practices for deploying and managing MFA in order to bolster your organization's cybersecurity posture as best you can.

What is MFA?

We assume that you already know what MFA is if you're searching for MFA best practices, but let's have a brief refresher course, shall we? MFA is an authentication method that uses two or more factors to validate users' identities. These factors can be something you know (e.g., password, PIN), something you have (e.g., smartphone, hardware key), and/or something you are (e.g., your fingerprint, your face).

Now that that reminder is out of the way, let's get into the best practices for implementing MFA.

Multi-Factor Authentication Best Practices

1. Choose Phishing-Resistant MFA Methods (If Possible)

Phishing-resistant MFA (like Entra CBA and FIDO2) is the absolute best way to improve your security posture; however, depending on your specific use case, it might not be feasible. It's important to go with an authentication combination that balances security and user experience - for example, you could combine a YubiKey with a biometric factor.

2. Use Passwordless Phone Authentication when Unphishable Credentials are not Available

If, for whatever reason, unphishable credentials are not a viable option for your organization to implement, we recommend you use passwordless phone authentication instead. Passwordless phone authentication is inherently more secure than non-passwordless forms of MFA due to the many problems with using passwords, but, alas, it is still not unphishable.

In lay terms, if you get a ton of push notifications that say something such as, "Do you accept?", followed by a call from what is supposedly your IT helpdesk telling you, "Just click 'yes' on the push notifications, we're running routine maintenance," you likely just experienced (and maybe fell for) a phishing scheme. Due to the easily hackable nature of phone authentication, we strongly recommend using passwordless phone authentication only if unphishable MFA is not a feasible option - simply put, it's better than most, but nowhere near the best.

3. Avoid Using SMS Authentication

Whatever authentication method you do choose, unphishable MFA or not, do not use SMS authentication! SMS authentication is an incredibly insecure authentication method, yet many organizations still have not moved past it. Why shouldn't you use SMS authentication? Well, SMS can easily be intercepted or redirected, providing hackers with a wide-open gateway to infiltrate your organization's network. Simply put, using SMS authentication is asking to be hacked.

4. Implement Conditional Access

While MFA is essential for securing identities, it's not the sole solution. A robust identity security strategy also involves implementing smart conditional access. This means ensuring that user authentication only occurs from approved devices and locations, and that said approved devices meet specific security standards. Leveraging Intune, Microsoft's MDM solution, enhances conditional access by verifying that users are accessing from managed devices; moreover, Microsoft's extensive network allows their AI to identify potential threats more effectively, observing patterns across various clients. This integrated approach of MFA with conditional access policies forms a more comprehensive defense against unauthorized access.

5. Educate Your Users on MFA

Let's face it - not every one of your users is going to fully understand how to use the MFA system you implement at first. By providing training and resources to educate your users about the importance of MFA and how to use it effectively, you can alleviate peoples' nerves about using a new system and ensure that there are as few errors as possible.

MFA is Crucial to Securing Your Organization

MFA is a vital component of a robust security strategy. By following these best practices, your organization can significantly enhance your security posture while simultaneously maintaining a user-friendly experience. Remember, the goal of MFA is not just to add layers of security, but to also implement them in such a way that they work seamlessly in the background, protecting users without causing undue convenience.

If you would like to see how implementing unphishable MFA can help secure your organization, feel free toschedule a FREE consultation with one of our identity experts today! Additionally, be sure to check out EZCMS, the best passwordless onboarding tool for Entra, to see just how simple we make the onboarding process for unphishable credentials.

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MFA Implementation Best Practices Microsoft 365

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In the constantly changing world of cybersecurity, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a critical line of defense against unauthorized access to sensitive data. As hackers develop more sophisticated forms of cyberattacks, it becomes more and more essential to implement MFA within your organization.

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Multi factor authentication (MFA) strengthens logins by requiring two or more verification factors. There are many types of MFA such as hard tokens, soft tokens, biometrics, and passwords. Organizations can leverage MFA by enforcing it for all users, offering a variety of factors beyond SMS, and educating users. Biometrics offer convenience and security but raise privacy concerns about data storage and potential misuse. To balance security with privacy, organizations should be transparent about data usage, offer opt-in options, and prioritize strong data security measures.

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What are the key differences between white-hat, gray-hat, and black-hat hackers, and what are the ethical and legal implications of their actions?

White Hat Hacking: White hack hacking is done by people who are hired by the government in order to find vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks - This is a legal form of hacking

Black Hat Hacking: Black Hat Hacking is done by skilled individuals who infiltrate systems illegally and are criminals who violate and use others information for their own will - This is a highly illegal form of hacking

Grey Hat Hacking: Grey Hat Hacking is done by random individuals who try to find issues in people's networks to make them aware, sometimes asking for small sums of money to fix the security breach - This form of hacking only violates the law under some conditions

How do the different types of hackers, such as white-hat, black-hat, and hacktivists, vary in their motivations, targets, and methods of operation?

Black Hat Hackers use their abilities to steal information for their gain, White Hat Hackers are hired by organizations to make sure that their security systems can defend against the black hat hackers, and Grey Hat Hackers are motivated by their own will in more of an effort to help random individuals to learn that their systems can be safer and more protected in the future

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Contributor, Deputy Editor

It's easy to confuse information security (infosec) and cybersecurity, as the two areas overlap in many ways. In fact, cybersecurity is a subset of information security. However, the fields are not quite the same, with each featuring distinct specialties and requiring different skill sets.

Even within the infosec and cybersecurity communities, the distinction between these terms is hotly debated and can be blurry. Many people use "information security" and "cybersecurity" interchangeably. However, understanding the textbook definitions of these terms can help you gain a deeper understanding of how the disciplines compare and interact.

Read on to learn more about the similarities and differences between information security and cybersecurity.

Information Security vs. Cybersecurity

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recognizes information security and cybersecurity as separate career areas. That said, there is certainly an overlap between the two. Below are the key definitions and distinctions of each.

What Is Information Security?

According to NIST, infosec's core function is to safeguard information and information systems against unauthorized access and use. Unauthorized use as NIST defines it can include destroying, modifying or disclosing data, as well as disrupting the functioning of an information system.

The field aims to provide confidentiality, integrity and availability-three guiding principles that form a model commonly referred to as the CIA triad among industry professionals.

One way to understand infosec as compared to cybersecurity is to view the field as an umbrella term that includes all data, not just data stored within cyberspace. Infosec extends its protective umbrella not only over digitally-stored data, but also other forms of data, such as paper-based information. This demonstrates how cybersecurity is a type of information security, but the two fields are not identical.

Information security teams create and implement policies and systems to protect information. For large organizations, strict security systems and standard operating procedures are required to protect customers.

What Is Cybersecurity?

Living in the 21st century means much of an organization's data is stored in computer systems and networks. This is the case for nearly every industry, and the information must be protected to a high degree. Information security professionals with a cybersecurity focus are responsible for securing this digital data.

NIST defines cybersecurity as protecting, preventing damage to and restoring electronic communications services and systems. This includes the information stored in these systems, which cybersecurity professionals work to protect.

Cybersecurity covers everything that has to do with electronic systems and communications. Within the field of cybersecurity are subcategories that entail further specialization. These include areas such as cloud, network, endpoint, and critical infrastructure security.

The Biggest Differences

Confusion between information security and cybersecurity can occur since much of the information we want to store, protect and transmit exists in cyberspace. While cybersecurity is a part of information security, certain aspects of information security are not included within the realm of cybersecurity.

Information security is an overarching term for creating and maintaining systems and policies to protect any information-digital, physical or intellectual, not just data in cyberspace.

An information security expert may develop the means of data access by authorized individuals or establish security measures to keep information safe. Cybersecurity, on the other hand, focuses on protecting information from cyberattacks and threats such as ransomware and spyware.

How Information Security and Cybersecurity Overlap

Cybersecurity leader and SimSpace CISO Jordan Wigley points out, "While there are technically differences between infosec and cybersecurity, many industry professionals have begun using the terms interchangeably. It is important to pay attention to the context in which the terms are used in order to understand the true meaning by an individual or publication."

It's understandable that information security and cybersecurity are often treated as synonymous, since these fields overlap in many ways. In addition to having similar security practices, these disciplines also require similar education and skills.

"While there are technically differences between infosec and cybersecurity, many industry professionals have begun using the terms interchangeably. It is important to pay attention to the context in which the terms are used in order to understand the true meaning by an individual or publication." -Jordan Wigley, SimSpace CISO

Shared Security Practices

The most significant overlap between infosec and cybersecurity is that they use the CIA (confidentiality, integrity and availability of information) triad model to develop security policies.

The first of the triad is confidentiality, ensuring that information is only accessed and modifiable by authorized users. From a consumer perspective, for example, we expect online retailers to store and protect our data such as credit card information, home addresses and other personal information.

Second, the integrity of information ensures that it has not been tampered with and is entirely reliable. Continuing with the online retailer example, the data transmitted between the retailer and your bank must be secure. Otherwise, there may be a discrepancy between the actual cost of your goods and the amount you paid.

Finally, availability of information means that the data is available when you need it. For example, if you need to know how much money you have in your bank account, you must be able to access that information.

Related Education and Skills

At a minimum, many careers in infosec and cybersecurity require a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, computer science, information technology or a related field. These degrees prepare you with foundational knowledge and skills to help you land a job as an analyst, engineer, specialist or tester.

These careers also call for familiarity with technologies such as database user interface and query software, network monitoring software, virus protection and web platform development.

Common Careers

Many information security and cybersecurity careers use similar or interchangeable language in their job descriptions. This is because employers often want infosec professionals with a broad array of security skills, including those in cybersecurity.

Information Security Roles

We reference salary data from Payscale and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in this section.
Information Security Analyst

Career Overview: With so much of our valuable information stored on computers, information security analysts often perform similar tasks to cybersecurity analysts. These professionals are responsible for planning, implementing, upgrading and monitoring security measures to protect computer networks and information. They may also create and share reports about security metrics and data breaches.

Average Annual Salary: About $112,000

Information Security Specialist

Career Overview: An information security specialist's role is similar to that of an information security analyst. While day-to-day duties may vary depending on the specific position, these professionals are part of teams that develop and implement information risk management frameworks, standards and policies. They also participate in risk assessments and assist users in accessing databases.

Average Annual Salary: Around $82,000

IT Security Consultant

Career Overview: As an IT security consultant, you use your infosec experience to assess and recommend improvements to an organization's information security. Your responsibilities may include supporting, implementing and following up on data privacy improvements, identity access management systems, cybersecurity management and operations.

Average Annual Salary: Over $88,000

Cybersecurity Roles
Cybersecurity Analyst

Career Overview: Cybersecurity analysts focus on protecting data from cyberattacks. These professionals perform threat and incident detection and respond to data breaches. Depending on the employer, cybersecurity analysts may develop cybersecurity awareness training and forensic analysis of information systems.

Average Annual Salary: Around $81,000

Cybersecurity Engineer

Career Overview: A cybersecurity engineer's role is expansive, overseeing the development of cybersecurity procedures and policies. This job includes building and maintaining firewalls to ensure secure transmission of information, developing security controls to protect digital files and monitoring and responding to security breaches. If you're wondering how to become a cybersecurity engineer, start with a bachelor's degree or cybersecurity bootcamp.

Average Annual Salary: Around $102,000

Penetration Tester

Career Overview: Penetration testers hackers with good intentions whose efforts improve information protection practices. Through simulated internal and external cyberattacks, these professionals breach and exploit systems and gain access to sensitive information to identify vulnerabilities. They then design and suggest security solutions to address said vulnerabilities. Pen testers also find system weaknesses and suggest improvements to bolster defenses against malicious attacks.

Average Annual Salary: Around $94,000

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Information Security vs. Cybersecurity

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Information Security Vs. Cybersecurity: What's The Difference?

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It's easy to confuse information security (infosec) and cybersecurity, as the two areas overlap in many ways. In fact, cybersecurity is a subset of information security. However, the fields are not quite the same, with each featuring distinct specialties and requiring different skill sets. Even w

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The threat grows: Trends and challenges in cybersecurity

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Black hat, White hat, and Gray hat hackers – Definition and Explanation

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Hackers generally come in three forms: Black hat, white hat & gray hat hackers. What do they do & what is the difference between them?

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Hacking: Black Hat vs White Hat vs Gray Hat | Hacker vs Cracker

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Digital transformation can put a modern enterprise at a crossroads. Security practitioners often find they must choose between the organization's security and the employees' productivity and privacy.

When companies use data loss prevention (DLP) tools, they are typically forced to make a binary decision when protecting corporate intellectual property; specifically, having to choose either to:

Enforce strict prevention controls and employ full monitoring (a strict approach)

Limit the impact on employee productivity and privacy (a flexible approach)

When determining which approach is best, you will carefully need to balance a number of competing priorities, including the following three aspects:

1. Information security-protecting the company's sensitive information

2. User productivity-ensuring users have access to the data they need

3. Employee privacy-respecting the privacy of employees when using company assets

Let's review each of these aspects in detail to help you select an approach that may suit your organization's needs.

Information security-protecting the company's sensitive information

Securing sensitive information can't be a one-size-fits-all approach because each organization's definition of sensitive information can be different. Financial services may care about protecting credit card numbers, while government agencies may want to protect Social Security numbers. And biotech and life sciences companies need to protect scientific research, while manufacturing and high-tech companies likely want to secure engineering designs

Hence, understanding the information that you need to protect is the first step. And a modern information protection solution must provide a way to classify your information easily and represent it in DLP policies in a unified manner.

User productivity-ensuring users have access to the data they need

While protecting sensitive information is at the core of any DLP solution, it can't come at the cost of user productivity, which keeps the business running smoothly.

Protecting your organization from risky users doesn't require implementing a restrictive approach for all. Organizations should weigh the impact of productivity when employees arent't able to do their jobs effectively due to the limitations put on information access and sharing.

A modern information protection solution therefore must be flexible enough to implement various security policies, based on the employee dealing with the information (context) as well as the information being handled (content).

Employee privacy-respecting the privacy of employees when using company assets

A company's privacy policy is typically dictated by two forces:

1. Regulatory and compliance rules applicable to where employees are being monitored

2. The company's own culture for respecting employee privacy

Complying with privacy regulations is mandatory and dictates what data is monitored, how it is used, and where, how, and for how long it is stored, for example. Outside of these regulations, the company's culture and factors such as the employees' work locations (virtual or on-site) will provide additional challenges to implementing effective data-handling practices.

Regardless of the drivers, and the weight given to different factors, an effective information protection solution must, at the very least, provide the following:

Flexible policy management to monitor risky users more aggressively than the rest

Data storage options that are geographically diverse to handle data sovereignty globally

Granular access to help ensure employee data is only available on a need-to-know basis

Masking and anonymization to protect unwarranted exposure of personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI) and user identities

A strict vs. flexible approach

In our information protection deployments, Proofpoint has seen two broad approaches:
Strict:

Start with the most aggressive prevention controls on all users

Educate users on why strict controls are in place and when to ask for exceptions

Grant exceptions through escalations to support business needs

Flexible

Start with monitoring policies to understand potential risky behavior

Educate users on best practices when sharing company information

Establish prevention controls based on observations of risky behavior

In both approaches, respecting employee privacy is a shared concern that is addressed subject to local regulations and compliance needs. As an example, screenshots of employee activities are typically captured when sensitive company data is at risk or if the employee engages in misuse of corporate assets. But such capture is almost always avoided if there is a risk of capturing an employee's personal information.

Information protection solutions from Proofpoint enable either of these approaches and also provide a hybrid approach for organizations that want to balance all three aspects-security, productivity and privacy-based on their business needs.

Determine the right approach for your organization

As you can imagine, choosing the right approach is more of an art versus science. As you look to balance the three aspects of security, productivity and privacy, consider the following questions:

What are our business needs and compliance requirements? What is our industry, and what are our desired goals for our DLP program?

How do the benefits align with our business goals?

If you're in a regulated industry, and you need to restrict access to sensitive data for compliance, a strict approach may work best. If you want to enable your employees to share information quickly and remove impediments to innovation, you might need to consider the flexible approach.

Across our customer base, Proofpoint has found that financial services and government agencies are more likely to embrace the strict approach whereas high-tech industries tend to be more flexible and want to foster an open culture.

If your business employs a lot of third parties, your risk is higher-hence a strict approach may be necessary. Better yet, a solution that gives you the flexibility to target just risky users will provide you the ability to balance out the strict approach with a flexible one, also known as the hybrid approach:
Figure 1. Overview of a hybrid approach for DLP.
Learn more

Check out the Proofpoint webinar on balancing security and productivity this topic to find out more about balancing security, productivity and privacy and see a demonstration of our Insider Threat Management solution.

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Balancing Information Security, Productivity & Privacy | Proofpoint US

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Learn how to balance information security, productivity, and privacy. Get expert tips on fostering a productive workplace with a security-aware culture.

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-The difference between information security and cyber security is that the first one is concerned with protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information, and the second one with protecting electronic and mobile devices from attacks in cyberspace, they are the same in that they´re fundamental to risk management.

-Some emerging trends and threats in the field of information security are

IoT Creates New Cybersecurity Threats

Targeted Ransomware Attacks

Evolution Of Multi-Factor Authentication

Increased Attacks On Cloud-Based Services

New Tools To Combat Remote Work Vulnerability

Organizations Invest In Real-Time Data Monitoring

More Social Engineering Attacks

Increased Demand For Cybersecurity Professionals

Organizations can prepare for them by  Protect the data itself, not just the perimeter, paying attention to insider threats, encrypting all devices, testing their security, deleting redundant data, and more.

-Organizations can balance the need for information security with the need for employee access and productivity by adapting the best security practices, keep things simple for employees, implement access controls, use staff collaboration tools, and promote a security-aware culture, etc.