“In today’s world, we’re all challenged daily to protect our privacy and security, whether it’s making online purchases, filing taxes, or accessing and managing online services and accounts. This is true in our personal lives and it’s true for Veterans and VA. The good news is that a record number of Veterans are now choosing VA’s multi-factor authentication (MFA) option—verifying their identity through more than one channel, such as a password and a text message code. This capability adds another level of security when Veterans log in to access and manage VA services and benefits. ‘It’s great to see our Veteran user community embrace this option,’ stated Charles Worthington, Chief Technology Officer at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ (VA) Office of Information and Technology (OIT). ‘Multi-factor authentication is currently optional, but obviously it’s a popular choice.’”
“MFA enhances the security of VA’s digital interfaces, providing additional levels of protection. VA’s MFA allows users to select from assorted authentication methods that further protect the Veteran’s identity. MFA combines more than one authenticator types based on information users know (e.g., a username and password) and information users receive (e.g., a code sent to the user’s mobile phone via text message). The MFA approach safeguards user accounts from impersonation attempts and keeps them secure if a user’s username and password are ever compromised. MFA also prevents potential account takeovers during additional online logins.” Read the full article here.
Source: Veterans Opt for More Security with Multi-Factor Authentication – August 13, 2019. VA.
