Picture this familiar scene, you sit down at your desk, take your first sip of coffee, you go to login and have to put in your Two-Factor Authentication code.
This small step soon becomes the biggest inconvenience of your day. Typically, you can’t find your phone, then you start typing the code, and… it times out. Putting you in a mood for the rest of the day.
However, it may not seem it but this small part of the login process is an essential. Think of it as your digital seatbelt, you won’t need it most of the time but you will be glad you’ve got it on if something happens.
You might think what’s the worst that can happen?
Once upon a time, people use to go out leaving their front doors unlocked, even leaving their keys in their car! Those days are over, it is far too risky to do that, same goes for your digital devices.
So, why should agencies be using 2FA? Before we answer that, we should probably tell you what 2FA actually is, for those of you who don’t know.
What is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)?
2FA is a security system that requires two distinct forms of identification to verify your identity before granting access to an account or system. These factors typically fall into three categories:
By requiring two of these factors, 2FA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access, even if attackers manage to steal one of your credentials, like your password they would still need the other identifier.
Here's why agencies should prioritise 2FA
Agencies regardless of type handle a variety of accounts and projects for businesses, brands, individuals and people of importance. Agencies will have a confidential agreement in place and would have potentially signed a non-disclosure agreement, which if broken could have financial, legal and reputational ramifications.
Some other reasons why agencies should prioritise using 2FA:
Many agencies have policies outlining employee responsibilities for data security and the consequences of failing to comply. These policies might specify disciplinary actions, such as warnings, suspension, or even termination, in case of data breaches or breaches of company policy.
If the breach results in significant financial losses, reputational damage, or legal issues for the client, the individual could face disciplinary action or even legal repercussions. This is why it’s important and your responsibility to keep your devices safe and secure.
Using 2FA For Paprika Software
As an agency management software used by thousands of users daily, Paprika holds an agency’s client, financial, internal and other types of data. This is why we use 2FA as part of the login process, we have an unwritten duty of care to protect you and your client’s information.
We’ve been rolling out 2FA across a number of our clients, if your agency hasn’t already then please contact us and we can implement this across all users for their Paprika i2 logins.
As an agency, simply:
PLEASE NOTE: The authenticator applications we recommend are 100% free and are known to work with Paprika. Some other applications may charge the user for use and should be avoided!
Conclusion
In today's digital world, where security threats are constantly evolving, two-factor authentication is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a "must-have" for marketing, creative design, PR, and advertising agencies. By having a treasure trove of sensitive information it’s important to protect this data from unauthorized access is paramount, not just for legal and ethical reasons, but also to maintain client trust and avoid reputational damage.
This is where two-factor authentication (2FA) comes in as a powerful security tool. It adds an extra layer of protection beyond just a username and password. By implementing this simple yet powerful security measure, agencies can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, protect intellectual property and build client trust.
