MULTI-FACTOR authentication (MFA) has become a crucial aspect of cybersecurity, protecting about 70% of enterprise workforce users. However, organizations often mistakenly treat successful MFA as an indication of a verified identity. Attackers increasingly target processes surrounding authentication, potentially hijacking sessions or manipulating account recovery without triggering MFA alerts.
This leads to the need for distinct concepts: authentication, which verifies control of authenticators; identity verification, which confirms the claimed identity; and identity threat detection, which monitors behavior post-authentication. Organizations should adapt their strategies to distinguish these functions, ensuring ongoing confidence in identities and being wary of new risks that may emerge after initial authentication.