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Zero Trust is the security approach that says that every time someone tries to do something on a computer, they need to prove who they really are.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps provide this proof by asking for different ways to verify the user’s identity, such as a password, fingerprint, or a code sent to the user’s phone. Combined, Zero Trust and MFA offer strong protection against cyber threats. Although you are wise to add the best password managers and VPN services into the mix as well.
Integrating MFA with Zero Trust greatly improves security by ensuring no user, device, or network is automatically trusted, even if they’re within the organization, says Sean Wright, CISO at AvidXchange, a provider of accounts payable automation software.
“MFA adds an additional layer of verification that requires users to prove their identity through multiple forms of authentication, such as something they know (password), something they have (security token), or something they are (biometric),” he says.
“This reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access, especially in a scenario where credentials may be compromised.”
Can you have one without the other? We explore how the two processes play a crucial role in today’s safety-conscious cybersecurity environment.
Key Takeaways
- Integrating MFA with a Zero Trust framework fundamentally changes how organizations think about security.
- Multi-factor authentication is a critical component of an organization’s Zero Trust strategy.
- Integrating MFA with a Zero Trust approach is crucial in a cloud-first environment.
- Companies can use MFA as part of their Zero Trust strategies by adding it to their identity and access management systems.
- Combined, Zero Trust and MFA offer strong protection against cyber threats.
How Integrating MFA With Zero Trust Strengthens Security
Multi-factor authentication is a critical component of an organization’s Zero Trust strategy, says Chris Novak, senior director of cybersecurity consulting at Verizon Business.
“As we’ve seen with a few recent, large-scale breaches, when there’s a lack of MFA, the chances of a threat actor gaining access to a system increase dramatically.
“While it can be seen as a nuisance, MFA is a foundational way to bolster Zero Trust that immediately strengthens security measures, and should always be part of the strategy.”
When MFA is used in a Zero Trust framework, it’s effective because MFA adds extra security, and the system assumes that no device or user on the network is automatically trusted, says Patrick Harding, chief architect at Ping Identity, a provider of identity management solutions.
“With MFA and Zero Trust, users must continuously validate such requests, and fraudsters rarely have access to a user’s other authentication factors, such as a mobile phone or device,” Harding says.
Rebecca Herold, an IEEE member and founder of The Privacy Professor consultancy, says there are many ways that integrating MFA with Zero Trust strengthens security.
For example, it stops threat actors, who have stolen lists of weak passwords, from using them to log into systems or apps, she says. Using more than one way to confirm identity, such as a password plus another check, makes it harder for them to break in with just one password.
Herold says it helps stop phishing scams where someone is tricked into giving their password. With MFA, just having the password isn’t enough to get into a system or app, according to Herold.
“In short, MFA is kind of like a Zero Trust form of authentication, since a single password is not trusted on its own to allow access into an application or system,” she says. “It is requiring more of the user trying to authenticate to prove that they are the valid authorized user.”
Why This Combination Is Essential in Today’s Cloud-First World
Integrating MFA with a Zero Trust approach is crucial in a cloud-first environment, says Steve Winterfeld, advisory CISO at Akamai, a provider of cloud services for fast and secure content delivery.
Since information security teams can’t fully control user access, it’s important to use stronger measures, such as MFA, to boost protection and ensure secure access to cloud resources, he says.
“If anyone can try to see if your front door is open, then you need to make sure only approved guests can open it,” Winterfeld says.
“You can’t give everyone the same passkey, but you can give them all a unique pin number to open it.”
As digital modernization continues, people depend more on cloud-based apps that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, and on any device, says Imran Umar, vice president at consulting company Booz Allen Hamilton. By combining Zero Trust with MFA, you constantly check a user’s identity, not just when they first log in.
“This continuous authentication and authorization architecture determines a user’s risk in real time and blocks access if certain conditions are not met,” says Umar, who heads up Booz Allen’s Zero Trust initiatives.
How Organizations Can Integrate MFA Solutions Into Zero Trust Strategies
Organizations can use MFA as part of their Zero Trust approaches by adding it to their identity and access management systems, according to Rahul Vishwakarma, an IEEE senior member.
This makes users confirm their identities during their sessions, depending on real-time factors.
“Furthermore, the integration is done through identity providers, secure access service edge frameworks or software-defined perimeters, applying MFA across endpoints, applications, and network layers to assess each request based on user identity, device health, and environmental risk.”
Integrating MFA into a Zero Trust strategy requires a two-fold approach, says Roman Arutyunov, co-founder and SVP of product at Xage Security, a cybersecurity company that provides a platform for Zero Trust access control and threat prevention.
“First, organizations must gradually incorporate MFA into their products and systems over the long term, ensuring that authentication protocols evolve alongside their security needs.”
However, to address immediate threats, organizations should strengthen their defenses with advanced access control systems using MFA for real-time protection, according to Arutyunov.
After setting up MFA, companies should apply it to all users, both internal and external, for full coverage across the business, he says. Companies should also use continuous monitoring, least privilege access, and device checks to fully follow the Zero Trust approach.
The cybersecurity industry views MFA as one of the best tools to prevent unauthorized access as it blocks 99.9% of login attempts, even if attackers steal passwords using such methods keylogging, password spraying, or phishing, according to Arutyunov.
“By embedding MFA into the Zero Trust framework, organizations can ensure that every access request is verified through multiple layers of authentication, regardless of the user’s location, device, or network,” he adds.
Challenges of Integrating MFA With Zero Trust
Migration from a legacy infrastructure that has typically used usernames and passwords is often the biggest challenge, says Christina Hulka, executive director of the Secure Technology Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes the use of secure technologies.
“[Another challenge] is understanding the many products and services offered by identity management providers,” she says. “Finally, educating the end users in a simple way is often a challenge, especially now, while the technology is still evolving.”
Wayne Mattadeen, Zero Trust leader at Deloitte, agrees that one of the main challenges in integrating MFA with Zero Trust is user experience. Using MFA can sometimes be inconvenient, especially if users have to verify their identities several times a day
“To mitigate this, organizations must find a balance between security and usability, often through adaptive or contextual MFA, which streamlines the process without compromising security,” he says.
Also, legacy systems that don’t support modern MFA protocols can create integration problems, often requiring major upgrades or replacements, he adds.
“Finally, ensuring that MFA is uniformly applied across all platforms and devices in a Zero Trust model can be complex and resource-intensive, requiring meticulous planning and execution,” Mattadeen says.
The Bottom Line
Integrating MFA with a Zero Trust framework fundamentally changes how organizations think about security, says Aidan Simister, cybersecurity expert and CEO at Lepide, a data security platform provider.
The main idea of Zero Trust is to “never trust, always verify,” he says. Implementing MFA adds multiple layers of authentication, which help ensure that only the right people can access the right resources at the right time.
“This combination makes it exponentially harder for attackers to penetrate systems, as even if they manage to get past one layer, they still have to overcome several others,” Simister says.
“MFA essentially acts as the gatekeeper in a Zero Trust environment, confirming that access is granted based on a robust, multi-faceted verification process.”
