Organizations need a way to secure their more sensitive online systems and data, in place of traditional single factor authentication methods. One viable solution is to use 2FA, or two factor authentication. This method not only requires your employees to provide their user name and password, but also something they own or possess, such as a digital certificate. The digital certificate is created to reflect the level of access the user is allowed, as well as to perform authentication processes at the first level. As long as authentication is successful, the employee is then prompted to enter in their user name and password for the second level of authentication.
Digital Certificates Created for 2FA Allow for Different Storage Options
You have different options for storing the digital certificates you create for use with 2FA. You could install each employee’s certificate directly onto their computer or workstation. The certificates can be protected and only available to the user after they have successfully logged into their computer. Another option is to place the certificates onto a portable RSA token device, such as a USB drive or smart card. The thing to remember when using smart cards is that each computer or workstation will require a smart card reader to decode and access the certificate. Using a portable storage option is well suited in situations where your employees may find themselves working from different computers or workstation within your organization. Instead of having to return to their primary computer, they are able to access the resources and data they need from any computer connected to your network.