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Stop Business Email Compromise with Multi-factor Authentication
Email remains a daily necessity in business communication. It’s fast, convenient, and universal. Whether you’re scheduling meetings, discussing deals, or exchanging invoices, email is at the core of modern operations.
But email isn’t just your communication line. It’s also a favourite target for cybercriminals.
According to recent reports from 2025 by Verizon’s DBIR and the FBI IC3, the Business Email Compromise (BEC) continues to be a leading cause of financial fraud. Email-based attacks are increasingly precise, impersonating executives or vendors and leading to large-scale financial losses.
The Evolving Threat of Business Email Compromise
Business email compromise is no longer limited to forged emails. Today’s attackers compromise entire email accounts using stolen credentials. Once inside, they monitor conversations, wait for the right opportunity, redirect payments, or request sensitive data. These attacks are often stealthy and discovered only after funds are long gone.
One case in early 2024 involved a multinational firm losing $68 million due to a business email compromise scam initiated through a compromised vendor account. The attacker monitored months of correspondence before injecting a fake invoice at the right moment.
Even with the best spam filters and email security tools, if attackers can access credentials, they’re inside your perimeter. That’s where Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) becomes critical, not just for general access but especially for managing privileged access.
Why Single-Factor Authentication No Longer Cuts It
Single-factor authentication is not enough to protect enterprises from sophisticated threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has now formally listed it as a “bad practice.” Passwords can be phished, guessed, reused, or stolen in breaches. A compromised password is still the #1-way attackers get in.
Here’s how attackers exploit weak authentication
- Credential Stuffing: Automated scripts test breached username/password combinations across multiple services.
- Brute Force Attacks: Tools like Hydra or Hashcat can crack weak or commonly used passwords.
- Phishing Campaigns: Sophisticated phishing sites harvest real-time credentials and even session cookies.
- Session Hijacking: With access to a password, attackers can take control of web sessions or generate valid tokens.
Without MFA, once credentials are in the wrong hands, it’s game over!
Why MFA Is the Baseline for Security in 2025
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a second layer of verification that attackers can’t easily fake. Even if a password is compromised, MFA prevents access unless the attacker has the second factor, such as a mobile device, physical token, or biometric input.
MFA = What You Know + What You Have
Here’s what MFA looks like in practice:
Step 1: User enters their password (what they know).
Step 2: The user enters a one-time passcode (OTP) from their mobile authenticator or receives a prompt (what they have).
With MFA in place, unauthorized access attempts are blocked—even if login credentials are leaked.
In 2025, MFA isn’t just about protecting email logins. It’s about securing privileged accounts, remote sessions, VPN access, cloud admin panels, and all entry points where elevated access exists.
The Role of MFA in Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Privileged accounts are prime targets for threat actors as they provide “unlimited access and control” to enterprise systems and data. These include IT admins, DevOps engineers, third-party vendors, and even finance staff with elevated permissions. A breach here doesn’t just expose data but it hands over control of entire systems.
That’s why MFA is a core requirement in any modern PAM solution. Here’s how it fits:
- Session Access Control
Before a privileged session is initiated, say via RDP or SSH, users are challenged by MFA. This prevents lateral movement by attackers who’ve breached one layer.
- Time-Bound Access
With just-in-time access controls, MFA ensures that even temporary privileges require real-time user verification.
- Audit Trails and Alerts
MFA integrations within PAM platforms like Sectona enable complete user authentication tracking, providing visibility into who accessed what, when, and how.
- Third-Party & Vendor Access
Often, vendors are a known weak link. With MFA policies applied to specific user groups, organizations can isolate and control external access to sensitive systems with higher assurance.
Adding robust MFA controls helps reduce the risk and damage of a potential business email compromise attack.
Sectona’s Built-In MFA
Sectona includes native Multi-Factor Authentication in its Privileged Access Management system. This isn’t an add-on—it’s part of the core security framework.
Sectona’s MFA Supports:
- OTP-based login with time-synced codes
- Push-based notifications
- Support for third-party authenticators like Duo, Okta, Google Authenticator, RSA SecureID, Microsoft Authenticator, OneLogin, Vasco, and FIDO2 keys
How to Set It Up in Sectona Security Platform?
- Define a user group (e.g., vendors, admins).
- Create an MFA policy with desired authentication methods.
- Apply the policy to the group.
- Enable enforcement across web and remote session logins.
The integration process is straightforward and supports standard protocols, making it easy for IT teams to roll out MFA across the board without overhauling existing infrastructure.
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- © 2025 Sectona Technologies Private Limited. All rights reserved. All trademarks held by their respective owners.
- © 2025 Sectona Technologies Private Limited. All rights reserved. All trademarks held by their respective owners.
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- © 2025 Sectona Technologies Private Limited. All rights reserved. All trademarks held by their respective owners.
- Privacy Policy
- Terms
- Eula
- Responsible Disclosure