{"id":295618,"date":"2025-07-16T13:26:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T01:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reckon.com\/au\/?post_type=sbh&p=295618"},"modified":"2026-05-05T17:37:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T05:37:18","slug":"what-is-mfa","status":"publish","type":"sbh","link":"https:\/\/www.reckon.com\/au\/small-business-resources\/technology-and-security\/what-is-mfa\/","title":{"rendered":"What is MFA"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.23″ custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.23″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ module_class=”table-contents” _builder_version=”4.23″ background_color=”#f3f2f6″ custom_padding=”25px||25px||true|false” sticky_position=”top” sticky_limit_bottom=”section” sticky_position_tablet=”top” sticky_position_phone=”none” sticky_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” border_radii=”on|24px|24px|24px|24px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23″ text_font=”||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}” background__hover_enabled=”on|desktop”][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Intro” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ header_2_font_size=”32px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”26px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Do you need to safeguard sensitive information as part of running your small business<\/a>? Relying on a single password is no longer enough \u2013 in fact it never was to begin with! Still, far too many owners in Australia have dangerously poor password systems in place. With data breaches, phishing attacks, and identity theft on the rise, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the biggest security measure your small business should be committing to.<\/p>\n

But what exactly is MFA? Put simply, multi-factor authentication is a security protocol that requires users to verify their identity via more than one method before granting them access to an account or system. So let\u2019s break down how multi-factor authentication works, the different authentication factors you\u2019ll need to know, as well as how you can roll out MFA to minimise your risks and protect all of your online accounts.<\/p>\n

What is multi-factor authentication?<\/h2>\n

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) \u2013 sometimes also called two-step verification or a multi-factor authentication system \u2013 is a way for users to present two or more different forms of identification before being allowed into a secure system; these are called authentication factors. The overarching goal is to ensure that only the correct user can access the system, even if one of their credentials (like a password) has been compromised.<\/p>\n

Used across online accounts, mobile apps, customer-facing applications, and more, MFA is the best way to add an extra layer of protection by verifying a user\u2019s identity through extra security methods.<\/p>\n

What are authentication factors?<\/h2>\n

MFA systems are grounded in three categories of authentication factors:<\/p>\n