Strong Authentication & MFA Solutions for Legacy Applications

Strong Authentication & MFA Solutions for Legacy Applications

2 min read

Recent statistics indicate that 68% of customers willingly embrace enhanced security measures in their banking applications, such as receiving passcodes via text or approving payments.  

However, the challenge lies in securing legacy applications, which necessitates additional steps to achieve modernization. So, forget passwords to improve security and discover crucial insights on ensuring the up-to-date security of your organization’s applications in this informative blog.

The Challenge of Legacy Application Security

Legacy applications pose a challenge as they often need more seamless integration with modern multi-factor authentication (MFA) solutions. These applications were developed before MFA became prevalent, making it difficult for them to accommodate such security requirements. 

Enhancing the security of a legacy application is a complex task, potentially involving costly application rewrites and disruption to established workflows, especially for large organizations.  

However, with MFA solutions like Accops, implementing robust security measures becomes feasible without extensive development efforts.

Block Legacy Authentication

Legacy authentication protocols such as SMTP, POP, MAPI, and IMAP lack the capability to enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA), making them attractive targets for cyber-attacks.  

To ensure the effectiveness of MFA, it is essential to block these outdated legacy authentication methods. By doing so, organizations can significantly enhance their security posture and mitigate the risks of unauthorized access attempts. 

MFA Regulations

MFA requirements and guidelines vary across countries, and industries like finance, healthcare, defense, and law enforcement often demand MFA for compliance, irrespective of national regulations. 

In India, under the guidance of the regulatory authority, RBI (Reserve Bank of India), banks are required to ensure the comprehensive security of their web applications against a range of web security risks. RBI has emphasized the implementation of a three-pronged methodology, which encompasses elements of: 

  1. Knowledge-based factors (e.g., password, PIN) 
  2. Possession-based factors (e.g., Debit Card number/grid, smart card) 
  3. Inherence-based factors (e.g., biometric characteristics like fingerprints) 

Multi-factor authentication is commonly referred to as 2FA, but it can involve additional factors beyond the initial two, such as three, four, or five factors. Here’s how do banks comply with the latest RBI guidelines on MFA.

What is Modern Authentication?

Identity management is crucial in ensuring secure access to accounts and applications. Modern authentication methods provide enhanced security for users accessing information from various devices such as iPads, smartphones, or laptops.  

Unlike basic authentication, which relies solely on login and password credentials, modern authentication leverages OAuth2.0 and ADAL (Active Directory Authentication Library) to bolster security measures and protect sensitive data.

Adaptive MFA Solutions for Any Size Organization

Safeguarding your business is still possible, even if integrating MFA into your existing applications poses challenges. Accops offers tailored solutions to protect legacy applications effectively.  

With Accops, you can access comprehensive security measures, customizable solutions, and unmatched availability and performance. Experience accelerated protection, and robust security by choosing Accops as your trusted partner. Contact our experts today to explore how they can support your organization’s security needs.