Written By: Frank Saulsbery
THE LATEST THOUGHTS FROM THE FOUNDER
A running column from Frank Saulsbery. Not a sales pitch, just the way he’d explain it if you pulled up a stool next to him. Meet Frank →
A SNEAK PEEK…
“At the end of the day, MFA isn’t about making your life harder, it’s about making a hacker’s life harder.”
You’re sitting at home one evening, maybe catching up on a show, and your phone buzzes. It’s asking you to approve a login to your email or bank account. The problem is… you didn’t try to log in. That moment tends to get people’s attention pretty quickly.
I’ve had more than a few business owners call after something like that happens, usually with a mix of confusion and concern. “Is this normal?” or “Did someone just try to get into my account?” The honest answer is, yes, that’s exactly what it means. And moments like that are a good reminder of why multi-factor authentication, or MFA, exists in the first place.
Years ago, a password was enough, you had a login, you had a password, and that was your front door. The problem is, that front door isn’t as strong as it used to be. Passwords get reused, guessed, or stolen all the time, often without you even realizing it. Cybercriminals focus heavily on stealing login credentials because once they have those, they can get into email, financial systems, client data, and pretty much anything tied to that account.
That’s where MFA comes in. At its simplest, it just means you need more than one way to prove it’s really you. Maybe it’s your password plus a code sent to your phone. Maybe it’s approving a notification in an app. It could even be a fingerprint. The key idea is simple… even if someone gets your password, they still can’t get in without that second step.
With today’s level of cyber activity, MFA really isn’t something you turn on for a few important things. It’s something you should be using almost everywhere it’s available. Especially for anything that involves:
Financial accounts or banking access
Payroll or accounting systems
Client or patient information
And more!!!!!
Those are the areas attackers care about most. And if we’re being practical about it, most breaches don’t start with some sophisticated hack. They start with a stolen password, MFA is simply putting a second lock on the door. And yes, I’ll say what you’re already thinking… it can be a little annoying.
Waiting for a code, opening an app, approving a login when you’re in a hurry. Nobody really loves that extra step. But I’ve never once had a client call me and say, I wish security had been easier after we lost access to our accounts or had money moved without permission. recovering from an account compromise is far more disruptive, expensive, and stressful than taking a few extra seconds to approve a login. In fact, adding that second layer makes a huge difference. Organizations that use MFA are dramatically less likely to be compromised because even a stolen password isn’t enough on its own.
Not every single system in a business needs to be locked down like Fort Knox. There are some lower-risk scenarios where MFA may not be necessary. But anything tied to money, sensitive data, or access to your core systems should absolutely have it turned on, that’s just the reality of doing business today.
And let me circle back to that original scenario, because this is one of the most important practical takeaways. If you’re ever sitting there, not trying to log into anything, and you get an MFA request, do not approve it. That means someone already has your password and is trying to get in. Approving it is essentially opening the door for them, the right move is simple, deny the request and immediately change your password. That one small decision can stop a real problem before it starts.
At the end of the day, MFA isn’t about making your life harder, it’s about making a hacker’s life harder. And in most cases, they’re not looking to fight through multiple layers of protection, they’re looking for an easier target.
So the question I usually leave business owners with is this. If someone did get ahold of your passwords today, how many of your systems would they actually be able to access?
If the answer is “most of them,” it might be time to take a closer look and start adding that second layer where it matters most.
That’s how I see it, anyway, and I’d enjoy hearing how you see it. None of this is a sales pitch. It’s just the kind of thing I’d talk through with you if we were sitting across the table. If it raised a question, or you think I have it wrong, I want to hear about it.
My door is always open. Whether you want to talk this through or just say hello, you can reach me anytime.
Network Solutions Unlimited is a generational managed IT services provider based in Decatur, Illinois, serving businesses and nonprofits with genuine support and decades of trusted relationships. Led by Baily Saulsbery and founded by her father Frank, we're not just your IT provider; we're your neighbors who happen to be really good at technology. Contact us today to experience IT support that actually cares.
