Tip of the Week: Multi-Factor Authentication

December 27, 2019/Salina Patel

If you’re a security-conscious business, you need multi-factor authentication to verify user identities before allowing them to access your sensitive ERP Data. Multi -factor authentication is simple and organizations are focusing more than ever on creating a smooth user experience. Even if you have never heard of it before, odds are you probably already use it in some form. For example, when you swipe your debit card at the ATM you have to then enter your pin. That is a two-factor authentication.

The rising concern for security has lead to ERP systems adding multi-factor authentication into their systems. Acumatica provides mechanisms to support multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing the system. You have multiple options for authentication including:

  • Username/Password
  • Token, FOB
    • Users carry a token device that displays a verification code that is regularly updated. The user then types the code into the system for verification.
  • Mobile Phones
    • The system will send a code via text message to the user’s phone. The user then verifies their identity by entering the access code in the system.
    • Another option is to install an application that behaves like a token
  • Email
    • The system sends a code to the user’s email address
  • Smart Card or USB Device
    • Hardware is used by the organization to verify the user. The user is verified by swiping a card or inserting a USB device.
  • Fingerprint Reader or Biometric Device
    • Require initial setup like smart cards.
  • VPNs
    • The VPN has its own authentication mechanism that provides security at the communication level. VPNs can be authenticated using passwords, tokens, mac addresses, and other methods

When you combine two or more of the mechanisms you achieve multi-factor authentication. The most common combination is a username/password plus a mobile phone.

Multi-factor authentication helps protect your business by adding and additional layer of security, which makes it harder for people to access your sensitive data. All in all having a system that allows you to achieve multi-factor authentication keeps your business safer.  

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