TAC County Information Resource Agency (CIRA)

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) was all the buzz during the 2024 County Tech Conference last week. So, in honor of MFA May, the TAC County Information Resources Agency (CIRA) team is sharing important information on this important topic.

What is MFA?

Multifactor Authentication, or MFA, is an expert-recommended measure that requires users to provide two or more methods of authentication verifying their identity to login and access an account. While MFA was once a recommended best practice, it is now a standard practice for account security.

The challenge?

While MFA significantly enhances security, it can also lead to "MFA fatigue." This occurs when users become overwhelmed, frustrated or desensitized by constant prompts for authentication, leading them to approve requests without proper scrutiny and leaving them vulnerable to a cyberattack.

What you can do

1. Never act on or authorize an MFA prompt that you yourself did not initiate.
2. Use authenticator apps like Microsoft Authenticator instead of relying solely on text message codes.
3. Never share your security codes with anyone.
4. Create strong and unique passwords.
5. Use a different password for each account.

Enable MFA

If you're a TAC CIRA email member, you can enable MFA on your email account at no additional cost. To enable MFA or to become a CIRA email member, visit our website or contact the team at CIRA Support or (800) 456‑5975.