{"id":2279,"date":"2025-11-24T19:51:42","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:51:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/uiso\/?p=2279"},"modified":"2025-11-24T19:51:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:51:42","slug":"mfa-why-it-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/uiso\/mfa-why-it-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"MFA – Why it matters\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In UISO\u2019s mission to protect university data and personal information, we are focusing this month on one of the most effective security tools available: Multi Factor Authentication, also known as MFA. You have likely already enrolled in MFA for many of the services you use, but it is important to understand its benefits and how it works.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the Password<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nowadays, passwords alone are not enough. Criminals can easily steal passwords through phishing emails, data breaches, and malware. Once they have your password, they have full access to your account if MFA is not enabled.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

MFA adds an extra layer of security. Even if a hacker steals your password, they are highly unlikely to also have your second factor.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accounts with MFA enabled are 99.9% less likely to be compromised in phishing or credential theft attacks. Enabling MFA is the single most important step you can take to protect your accounts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How MFA Works: The Three Factors of Authentication<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

MFA confirms your identity by requiring two or more pieces of evidence from the following categories:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n