Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a computer access control method in which a user is granted access only after successfully presenting several separate pieces of evidence to an authentication mechanism — usually at least two of the following categories: knowledge (something they know), possession (something they have), and inheritance (something they are).
MFA is being adopted by more and more organizations today because its deployment greatly increases security. The user also feels more secure. So why use role-based authentication (MFA)? Modern organizations are typically subject to a wide range of regulatory and contractual legal obligations for the security of the data they create and use.
Organizations must be able to demonstrate the steps they have taken to ensure the security and confidentiality of their customers’ data. They are also required by law to take such steps. Well-implemented role-based multi-factor authentication provides a high degree of granularity in controlling who has access to what information and under what conditions access can be obtained, and the use of MFA has been found to go a long way in ensuring compliance.
Such technology not only provides a higher level of protection against data security breaches and ensures the confidentiality and integrity of business-critical data, but also helps organizations demonstrate compliance with data protection obligations.
Understanding multi-factor authentication
To better understand multi-factor authentication, it’s important to first understand what authentication is in the first place. At a high level, the authentication process is used to verify that someone or something is who it claims to be. This usually involves providing some sort of proof in the form of credentials — such as a password, smart card or fingerprint. Given how important this process is in ensuring that your private information remains private, it’s no surprise that providing higher levels of security around your authentication is a big focus in the industry right now. This is where multi-factor authentication comes into play.
Multi-factor authentication, also known as MFA, is a security system that requires more than one authentication method to verify a user’s identity. The idea is that looking for additional evidence to prove who you are drastically reduces the chances of a successful attack. This assured security, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, comes in the form of “increased resistance to potential attacks” and “greater difficulty for an attacker to succeed.” Not only that, but using multiple factors can provide additional assurance that the person being authenticated is actually trying to access the system. This can be very powerful — especially in preventing things like phishing, where an attacker could use a stolen or lost device to assume the identity of a legitimate user.
So, in short, multi-factor authentication helps in several ways. First, it provides increased security and makes it difficult for attackers to gain access. And secondly, it provides additional security that the person who is authenticated is actually the one trying to access the system.
Role-based access control
First, let’s understand what role-based access control (RBAC) is. Unlike user-based access control where individual users must obtain their permissions for various resources within the system, RBAC is used to regulate user permissions in the system. This is a way to manage access to the system because changing user roles can be time-consuming and inefficient for system administrators. With RBAC, it is much easier to manage the permissions of different users because they are associated with a specific role, and that role is then granted the permissions needed to perform the appropriate tasks. This set of permissions assigned to a role will be all that any user associated with that role needs to do their job.
There are several different types of access control such as Mandatory Access Control (MAC) and Discretionary Access Control (DAC). However, the question of which is better can become a hotly debated topic within the field of computer security. Using role-based access control over other types of access control is a widely accepted approach for reasons such as “a method that is more intuitive for privileged users” and “simplifies the day-to-day work of security administrators and reduces the likelihood that employees will make mistakes that lead to intentional or accidental insider attacks.”
There are often three primary rules that must be followed in order to claim compliance with role-based access control standards. These are: “a subject cannot execute more than one role at a time”, “a subject’s role authority can only be changed (ie added or deleted) by the role holder” and “a subject’s role authority cannot be changed while the subject is in a session using that role .”
Benefits of role-based multi-factor authentication
When it comes to cybersecurity, access privileges are a key point of vulnerability. Those with higher permissions are targets of cyberattacks because a successful break into their account would bring much more data than a standard user. In response, many security professionals advocate a method of access control known as role-based access control, in which employees are only allowed access to the resources and information they need to perform their current tasks. This fits well with the technical aspect of cyber security.
By using this system in conjunction with multi-factor authentication, a practice that requires two or more pieces of evidence to prove identity, security professionals can ensure that the access they are trying to protect is truly valid. One of the greatest attributes of role-based multifactor authentication is its adaptability to different scenarios and levels of security. Because the specific roles and authorizations of employees vary from company to company, it is important to be able to adjust the level of security to accommodate different levels of risk.
With role-based access control, accounts can be categorized into different roles, each with different levels of access. For example, a junior employee may be limited to general databases and applications, while an IT professional would have access to more secure and private areas of the network. In the event of a breach, implementing role-based multi-factor authentication can greatly reduce the level of damage a cyber attacker can inflict.
By isolating network access to authorized personnel only, the number of systems and the amount of sensitive data that can be compromised is minimized. From an IT professional’s perspective, this not only means that cleanup and remediation from a breach is less extensive, but it also reduces the risk of larger legal ramifications when assessing cyberattacks involving potential data breaches.
Implementation of role-based multi-factor authentication
The process of implementing role-based multifactor authentication varies in complexity depending on the specific resources and environments an organization is trying to protect. However, regardless of the resources you’re trying to protect, the overall process usually follows a series of high-level steps.
The first step is to start by enabling multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts. This includes, at a minimum, accounts with administrative access and also includes power users with the ability to modify critical data. Multi-factor should be enforced for all login attempts to these accounts, whether via console or remote access. This is often done by first analyzing and selecting privileges and user roles, before moving on to adding and enabling security procedures.
For each role that will have an enforcement policy associated with it, you will need to select a role from the list of roles. Then say, for example, click properties, click the security settings tab, then click the add button next to ‘existing roles for this security policy’. Once the configuration is done, the most practical tasks often involve enrolling existing users that associate users with different roles, and setting up and configuring the initial authentication methods for the new role-based implementation.
Of course, the root of trust vis-a-vis the identity provider is essential and steps must be taken to ensure that this part of the security model is well designed. Finally, the phase of continuous testing should not be neglected. As with all cybersecurity projects, the implementation of multi-factor authentication must be tested, validated and maintained to ensure effectiveness. This includes ensuring that the way role membership is calculated and validated to ensure that users are using the principle of least privilege. A second opinion and even formal cyberpen testing can help confirm that a role-based multifactor implementation has been implemented correctly. Such formal testing will demonstrate to business leaders and auditors that the control was operationally effective and provide confidence that security practices are fit for purpose.
With the rise of cloud computing and digital services, implementing strong access controls is an integral part of protecting user and business information. Multi-factor authentication is a key ‘building block’ control in this field, and using a role-based application can provide granularity over which accounts are implemented with multi-factor and in which context. This not only helps ensure a robust security model is maintained, but also helps simplify end-user interaction with multiple systems. It is clear that industry professionals must ensure access to resources by establishing various levels of security. In particular, as technology evolves to become more sophisticated, greater attention is required to digital service processes. All in all, the transition from traditional ‘first factor’ authentication to multi-factor authentication is a necessary step in improving security measures.