The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has urged private sector organizations to help raise public awareness about two-factor authentication as a method to strengthen the security of online accounts.
CISA said Monday it seeks to inform all people in the U.S. of the advantages of implementing a layered data protection approach through the campaign, dubbed More Than a Password.
The agency created a webpage that offers an informative guide and a social media toolkit as part of the awareness initiative.
“Whether you call it multi-factor or two-factor authentication, this simple step can make you 99% less likely to get hacked. Think of it like an airbag or the seatbelt in your car—an extra layer to keep you safe in the event of an accident,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly, a 2022 Wash100 Award winner.
Easterly urged Americans to ask their online service providers to offer the MFA feature if the tool is not yet available as a security option for their accounts.
CISA noted that the method can make it harder for cyber threat actors to breach information systems even if they compromised passwords through social engineering practices such as phishing.