Episode 23 — Make multifactor authentication resilient and user friendly
Multifactor authentication succeeds when it withstands real-world attacks without blocking legitimate work, and the exam expects you to parse both security and usability signals. This episode explains factor classes—something you know, have, or are—and why possession-based methods with phishing resistance outperform codes relayed through weak channels. You will learn where MFA is required or prudent: administrative access, remote access, and high-impact application functions. Configuration matters: enforce strong enrollment, restrict factor resets with identity proofing, and require step-up authentication when context changes, such as new devices or locations. Evidence includes policy language, identity provider settings, logs of successful and failed challenges, and documented procedures for lost or compromised authenticators.
We explore scenarios that test resilience. Push approvals can be bombed; the correct answer introduces number matching or user-verified challenges that resist fatigue. One-time codes over SMS are better than nothing but are vulnerable to interception; choices that prefer app-based or hardware-backed keys demonstrate exam maturity. Usability is not an afterthought: backup factors and offline methods must be available without opening bypass holes, and enrollment must handle contractor and vendor identities without creating shared accounts. Troubleshooting covers drift, such as exceptions granted for legacy systems that quietly expand, and missing logs that block incident reconstruction. The exam favors solutions that close common relay paths, prove enforcement across all relevant entry points, and provide a documented recovery process that restores secure access quickly when users lose authenticators. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.
