Cybercriminals usually attack enterprises that deploy their web applications on the Internet by compromising users’ credentials to access resources through their accounts. Hence, deployment of a fortified authentication system becomes imperative to strengthen the defense from remote attacks and reduce the effect during such events.
This article aims to provide a clear and direct overview of what you can do when it comes to authentication from a high level.
What is a Fortified Authentication System?
A Fortified Authentication System is a robust and secure method of verifying the identity of users. It uses multiple layers of verification, such as a combination of a password and a fingerprint or facial recognition, to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information. This system also employs advanced encryption techniques to protect data from hacking attempts. By using a Fortified Authentication System, organizations can safeguard their valuable assets and prevent unauthorized access. It also helps in complying with industry regulations and standards, making it a must-have for any organization. Let’s dig deep to learn about how to get started with it;
1. Define password policies
Password policies are designed to help protect your organization against security incidents and other negative consequences of weak passwords. One of the key things about a password policy is that the organization enforces it.
If you don’t enforce your policy, users will continue to use weak passwords, which can lead to breaches and other bad things. In fact, 80% of data breaches are due to weak passwords.
You should define a minimum length for passwords, as well as a maximum length. You should also specify that passwords cannot be comprised of only numbers or only letters (or both). Use this to educate users on creating strong passwords that include letters, numbers, and symbols.
2. Define account lockout policies
Account lockout policies define the number of failed login attempts a user can make before their account is locked. This protects against brute force attacks, where an attacker tries to guess the password by repeatedly trying various combinations.
The policy should be set to a reasonable value based on the security level of your application and the frequency with which users will need to log in. In case you want your users to be able to change their passwords, you may want to consider disabling this feature until they have proven that they are not being attacked by someone else (like a bot).
3. Enable multi-factor authentication
The important step to setting up a Fortified Authentication System is to enable multi-factor authentication. Multi-factor authentication means you’ll need more than your password to log into a site. It requires you to give the site two pieces of information: a password and a text message from your phone).
This ensures that even if someone could hack your password, they still wouldn’t gain access since they don’t have your phone.
If you’re doubtful about how to do this, check out the guides on the Internet for enabling multi-factor authentication in Chrome!
4. Identify threat actors and their modus operandi
The crucial step in creating a fortified authentication system is identifying the threat actors who might target your company and their modus operandi.
Who are these people? What do they want? Why do they want it? How can you make them go away?
Threat actors wish to harm your company by hacking into its network, stealing data, or otherwise disrupting operations. The modus operandi of these actors varies widely, but certain patterns emerge from the data.
For example, many threat actors will use phishing emails to trick employees into giving up credentials or other sensitive information.
5. Implement machine learning/AI capability to predict threats
Machine learning and artificial intelligence are key tools in the fight against cyber threats.
You can use machine learning to analyze the data you collect, flagging any anomalies that might signal a threat. It can also be used to create predictive models that help you understand which threats are likely to occur in the future, so you can take action before they happen.
6. Biometrics authentication
Biometrics authentication is an easy and convenient way to verify someone’s identity when attempting to log in. It uses one or more physical attributes, such as fingerprints, facial features, and iris patterns, to identify the user.
In addition to being quick and easy, biometrics are also very secure because they are unique to each individual. This means that even if someone could get hold of your biometric data, it would still be useless without your presence at the time of authentication.
7. Find an algorithm that suits your needs
When setting up a fortified authentication system, you must find an algorithm that suits your needs.
You have a lot of options when it comes to what kind of algorithm you use for your fortified authentication system. For example, some people prefer the OATH-HOTP algorithm because it’s simple and easy to use. Other people like the RSA algorithm because it’s more secure.
It’s very important to think about what kind of person you are—are you someone who wants something simple and easy? Or do you want something more secure? It doesn’t matter how you choose to go about it. There are plenty of options available!
8. Use different Cipher Suite for different use cases
When setting up a Fortified Authentication System, it’s important to remember that not all cipher suites are created equal. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when you’re encrypting a message or setting up a connection. Instead, you need to use different cipher suites for different use cases.
For instance: if you want to send an email, use a cipher suite that supports PGP and S/MIME encryption. If you’re sending an encrypted message over an unsecured network—such as the public Internet—use AES/CBC encryption with SHA1 hashing.
9. Use a certificate authority to provide certificates
To create a strong authentication system, you must have a certificate authority (CA) that provides the certificates. The CA is responsible for ensuring that each user has a unique certificate and can be identified by the system. Doing this prevents people from creating multiple accounts under false identities, impersonating others to gain access to sensitive information, or performing illegal activities such as fraud.
Conclusion
Follow these guidelines to set up a secure authentication system for your company. The new, Internet-connected lifestyle is almost impossible to imagine without the convenience of logging into other devices and accounts from your own. But we all know that this comes with consequences, one of them being compromised accounts.
But after reading this blog, you should better know how to set up an authentication system using Fortified. Since solutions for a strong authentication system can change daily, it is important to be aware of trends, threats, and evolving solutions.
While you can still do the work yourself, if you seek a fully-featured authentication module or implementation, we encourage you to contact us. We’ll be glad to help you customize and deploy the perfect solution for your application.
