Know your gear
Standard authentication methods, including Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), ask users for specific credentials whenever they try to log in or access corporate resources. Adaptive Authentication asks for different credentials, depending upon the situation - tightening security when the risk of breach is higher.
When users always log in with standard credentials, such as a username and password, it makes them vulnerable to cyberattack. Authentication tools for identity and access management, such as MFA provide better security by requiring additional credentials, such as a code generated from a smartphone app. More factors help, but it's still too easy for cybercriminals to acquire or hack the user's various credentials and then use them to gain access. Adaptive authentication intelligently changes the requirements, making it much harder for a hacker to gain access to the enterprise because some of the signals that are used are difficult for an attacker to circumvent.
As well as adding security, adaptive authentication reduces the friction for users trying to get their work done. Standard MFA defines login requirements that may be onerous - requiring the user to always enter a name, password, and a code from an app, or requiring users to answer a security question when authenticating outside the office.
Adaptive authentication can request less information from users who are recognized and behaving in expected ways. It only queries users for more information occasionally, when circumstances suggest a greater security risk. This means fewer interruptions for users, lower barriers of entry, and greater security.
When users always log in with standard credentials, such as a username and password, it makes them vulnerable to cyberattack. Authentication tools for identity and access management, such as MFA provide better security by requiring additional credentials, such as a code generated from a smartphone app. More factors help, but it's still too easy for cybercriminals to acquire or hack the user's various credentials and then use them to gain access. Adaptive authentication intelligently changes the requirements, making it much harder for a hacker to gain access to the enterprise because some of the signals that are used are difficult for an attacker to circumvent.
As well as adding security, adaptive authentication reduces the friction for users trying to get their work done. Standard MFA defines login requirements that may be onerous - requiring the user to always enter a name, password, and a code from an app, or requiring users to answer a security question when authenticating outside the office.
Adaptive authentication can request less information from users who are recognized and behaving in expected ways. It only queries users for more information occasionally, when circumstances suggest a greater security risk. This means fewer interruptions for users, lower barriers of entry, and greater security.