{"id":7881,"date":"2026-10-09T08:06:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/?post_type=education&#038;p=7881"},"modified":"2026-10-07T11:10:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T16:10:55","slug":"what-to-know-about-multi-factor-authentication","status":"publish","type":"education","link":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/education\/what-to-know-about-multi-factor-authentication\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Multi-Factor Authentication"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an extra layer of protection for your accounts and sensitive data. Here\u2019s all you need to know about MFA, including how it works and why it\u2019s an important step in protecting your information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-multi-factor-authentication-works\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How multi-factor authentication works<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multi-factor authentication requires two or more factors to allow a user to sign into their account. Generally, these consist of something the user knows, like a password or PIN, along with one or both of the following:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Something the user has:\u00a0<\/strong>a phone, key fob, or smartcard.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Something the user is:\u00a0<\/strong>an iris or fingerprint scan, or voice or facial recognition.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accounts using MFA will not allow the user to sign into their account unless both factors check out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-multi-factor-authentication-is-crucial-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why multi-factor authentication is crucial&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While passwords provide protection against hackers, they\u2019ve proven to be a weak barrier. A recent article from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Forbes<\/a> reported approximately 2.9 billion compromised passwords floating around the dark web. These passwords can provide cybercriminals with access to financial accounts, credit card information, Social Security data and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, passwords can be cracked by amateur hackers, even without a data breach. For these reasons, using MFA when available \u2014 especially for accounts storing highly sensitive information \u2014 is crucial for ongoing security and protection. This way, in the event a compromised password, your info is still protected. Without access to your account\u2019s second authentication factor, the hacker can\u2019t gain entry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-where-you-may-encounter-mfa\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where you may encounter MFA<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re most likely to encounter MFA on accounts storing very sensitive data, like banking apps, money management apps, and investment apps. Depending on your line of work, you may also need to use MFA to sign into your personal workplace. Some retailers may also offer MFA as an option.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using MFA means a longer login process; however, the inconvenience pales in comparison to the time, stress, and money it takes to recover from a potential data breach. The next time you encounter multi-factor authentication, just know it&#8217;s helping keep your accounts and sensitive data safe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an extra layer of protection for your accounts and sensitive data. Here\u2019s all you need to know about MFA, including how it works and why it\u2019s an important step in protecting your information.&nbsp; How multi-factor authentication works Multi-factor authentication requires two or more factors to allow a user to sign into [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7882,"template":"","education-category":[194],"class_list":["post-7881","education","type-education","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","education-category-tips-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.6 (Yoast SEO v28.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What to Know About Multi-Factor Authentication - St. Paul Federal Credit Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Multi-factor authentication provides an extra layer of protection for your accounts and sensitive data. 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