Page 136 - Cyber Defense eMagazine July 2024

Why Legacy MFA is DOA

By Kevin Surace, Chair, Token

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) has long been heralded as a cornerstone of secure digital practices.
However, the traditional forms of MFA, now often referred to as "legacy MFA," are increasingly seen as
outdated and inadequate in the face of evolving cyber threats. This article explores why legacy MFA is
considered Dead on Arrival (DOA) in today's cybersecurity landscape.

The Evolution of Cyber Threats

The cyber threat landscape has dramatically evolved over the past few years. Cybercriminals have
become more sophisticated, employing advanced tactics such as phishing, social engineering, and man-
in-the-middle attacks to circumvent traditional security measures. Legacy MFA, which often relies on
something you know (like a password) and something you have (like a text message code or
authentication app), is no longer sufficient to thwart these advanced attacks. 90% of ransomware attacks
occur using user credentials, and the vast majority of those now include a legacy MFA hack as well.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – July 2024 Edition 136
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