6 Steps To Implement MFA With Security Keys To Secure Your Business

Creating an effective access control system to safeguard your IT network, data, and devices to only authorized users is considered a basic part of cyber hygiene.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is increasingly becoming a cybersecurity best practice across industries for verifying user identity. In addition, state and federal regulations, as well as cybersecurity insurance mandates, often require these control measures.

Given this trend, a growing number of businesses are choosing to integrate security keys as a convenient yet cost-effective MFA tool.

But what’s involved in rolling out security keys across your organization?

In this article, we’ll explore some of the different MFA methods, and we’ll detail a 6-step process to implement security keys within your organization to strengthen your cybersecurity defenses.

With this information, you’ll have a better understanding of how to successfully integrate security keys and common mistakes to avoid.

What Are Common MFA Methods And Why Are They Growing In Popularity?

Security keys are small, physical devices, often resembling a USB stick, that can be plugged into your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone to authenticate a person’s identity before granting access to a system or device.

Such devices, which connect using USB, Bluetooth, or NFC, contain coded information in what’s known as cryptographic keys. This private and public key pair is used to maintain the security and integrity of your sensitive information through encryption and decryption.

These authentication devices fall under two passwordless authentication standards: an older PIV (Personal Identity Verification) standard and FIDO2 Alliance standards for newer passkeys, depending on your company’s infrastructure.

Both standards use a cryptographic pair to allow users to securely verify their identity without passwords.

With passkeys, the public key is generated for a service such as an application or website, and a private key is secured on your device. The two work hand-in-hand for user authentication and data security.

Passkeys can either be stored on a portable security dongle, like a USB, or they can be stored directly on your device.

A growing number of businesses are integrating hardware keys as part of their cybersecurity efforts for their convenience, ease of use, and enhanced security to help comply with regulatory requirements.

One benefit of using hardware keys is that since you need to have them in your possession to use, they minimize the chances of a hacker being able to steal your username and password credentials to gain unauthorized access into your systems.

What’s more, these passwordless tools are locked with biometric identification such as a fingerprint or face scan, or a PIN number, to increase security.

Security keys can either replace or augment cloud-based MFA authenticator apps, which generate a phone call, push notification, or temporary passcode sent to a cell phone to authenticate a user's identity and allow access.

Best Practices For Implementing Security Keys Across Your Organization

If you’ve decided that security keys are the best type of multi-factor authentication solution for your organization, below we’ll outline the steps to integrate them into your organization’s security measures as seamlessly as possible.

6 steps to integrate security keys as a verification method:

Step 1: Plan your rollout

• Determine the number of employees who will need a security key, as well as the number of staffers who will share the keys on the same PCs.
  
  
• Use a reputable vendor for the security keys.
  
  
• Create a master list of the security key serial numbers (a unique combination of letters and numbers printed on each security key).
  
  
• Either your IT team or your managed IT service provider (MSP) will need to set aside several hours to register each of the keys with the service you’re using.
  
  
• Your team will also need to schedule sufficient time to program each security key with default login credentials. The default login can be the same for each key. A security PIN may need to be used during this set-up process.
  
  
• You or your MSP will also need admin keys for privileged access to properly establish access permissions and manage user registrations for your organization. Admin keys are also needed for resets or to troubleshoot issues.

Step 2: Provide employee training

• Educate your staff on what security keys are and best practices when using and storing them so they’ll know what to expect.
  
  
• Create a straightforward, step-by-step guideline on how to use the devices. These instructions can be provided in an email to employees, printed flyer, or training video.
  
  
• Encourage employees to secure their security keys onto a lanyard or keychain to prevent loss or theft.
  
  
• Use this opportunity to remind employees of your overall cybersecurity policies and expectations for using company devices.
  
  

Step 3: Distribute security keys

• Assign the security keys to your employees and prepare a spreadsheet listing all users’ emails and their assigned security key.
  
  
• This step is important for traceability in case any issues come up. For instance, if an employee is using a shared device but can’t log in with their credentials, you’ll know which employee was the last to use the device and login.
  
  
• If your business has multiple shifts, you’ll need to take this into account when planning to pass out the physical authentication devices.
  
  
• Instruct employees to create a passcode they’ll remember (encouraging them to make it something they can remember, preferably with at least six alphanumeric characters).
  
  
• Keep in mind that once a user replaces the default passcode with their own personal one, the passcode cannot be changed if they forget theirs.
  
  
• In the case of forgotten passcodes, your in-house IT professionals or MSP will need to perform a key reset, or “re-keying.” This process deletes all stored credentials and account information on the security key and returns it to the factory-set default.
  
  
• It is advisable to purchase extra keys as backup in case some are lost.

Step 4: Removing a device

• In the event you want to remove a security key, for instance when a security key is lost or following an employee departure, you can delete the authentication device from your account security info.
  
  
• While this prevents others from being able to log into your accounts, you would need to delete the device entirely to wipe your stored data and credentials from it.

Step 5: Review your inventory

• Periodically review your device inventory to verify that your records for the devices on your network that use security keys (or other authentication methods) are up-to-date.
  
  
• Doing so can prevent unauthorized access and ensure continued regulatory compliance.

Step 6: Ensure device management

• Your device management should include keeping your security keys current with the latest security patches and updates to ensure overall device health and safety.
  
  
• Develop a comprehensive device replacement plan as part of your strategic budgeting and planning to reduce system vulnerabilities when using outdated software and hardware.

The Bottom Line With Integrating Security Keys For Access Control

After reading this article, you now have a working knowledge of some of the best MFA methods and how to implement security keys into your IT environment.

We know that as a busy small or medium-sized business owner, you want to learn about important IT tools and resources that could help strengthen your organization’s security posture without getting too much into the weeds.

That’s why we write articles like this to provide useful information to business leaders like yourself to help you make informed decisions on technology that align your IT needs and overall business objectives.

If you’re searching for a local MSP in Connecticut to help you implement security keys or other cybersecurity solutions to guard against new and emerging threats, we encourage you to research several providers to choose one that’s the best fit for your business.

Do you know if your IT environment is secure? Use the button below for a checklist you can use to self-assess your cyber readiness and identify areas of potential vulnerability.