Page 138 - Cyber Defense eMagazine July 2024

Another significant vulnerability of SMS-based MFA is SIM swapping. In this type of attack, a
cybercriminal convinces a mobile carrier to transfer the victim's phone number to a new SIM card. Once
the transfer is complete, the attacker receives all SMS messages intended for the victim, including
authentication codes. This bypasses the MFA protection entirely.

As these well-known methods demonstrate, hackers easily gain access to accounts today knowing that
a user will have legacy MFA that is now all too easy to get past.

The Rise of Next generation MFA Solutions

To address the shortcomings of legacy MFA, modern MFA solutions have emerged, leveraging advanced
technologies and context-aware mechanisms to provide robust security.

Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint, facial recognition, and iris scans, offers a substantially
higher level of security than traditional methods. Biometrics are unique to each individual and are difficult
to replicate, making it much harder for attackers to bypass. Moreover, FIDO2 biometric devices keep the
human out of the picture – meaning there is no code to hand over, no second app to click.

A wearable biometric authenticator guarantees that the wearer is the actual approved user. And in the
case of a social engineering hack, the user would have no code to provide since a biometric device
should ideally have no user readout. Nothing to hand over to a bad actor. And wearables are convenient
and easy to use.

AI generated phishing attacks and MFA fatigue attacks do not thwart next generation MFA and only
reinforce the need for immediate change.

With the rise of AI generated deepfakes, we are entering a world where that person you see and hear on
Zoom or Teams may or may not be your actual boss. Next generation biometric MFA will become
standard issue to be sure that the people on the call ARE who they say they are, and a wearable device
locked to one’s fingerprint (for example) will be required to continue the conversation. Since image and
voice will not be enough to guarantee identity.

The Future of MFA

The future of MFA lies in embracing these modern biometric solutions and moving away from outdated,
vulnerable methods. Organizations must adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity, implementing MFA
solutions that are resilient against evolving threats. This involves not only upgrading technology but also
educating users on the importance of robust authentication practices.

Next generation MFA is a critical component of the Zero Trust security model, which operates on the
principle of "never trust, always verify." In a Zero Trust architecture, continuous verification is required for
all users, devices, and applications, ensuring that only authorized entities can access sensitive resources.
By integrating next gen MFA into a Zero Trust framework, organizations can significantly enhance their
security posture.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – July 2024 Edition 138
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