Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a vital part of keeping your digital activities secure. Even if you are not familiar with the term, you most likely use it every day. Its primary benefit is the additional layer of security it provides, strengthening the login process before you can access systems and information.
It is also one of the most effective ways to protect your organization against cyberattacks – and for a good reason. The concept is simple: if attackers steal a password, an extra verification step should stop them. Yet, despite its growing adoption, we continue to see breaches succeed. The problem is not MFA itself.
In this blog, we will explore common pitfalls organizations make when deploying MFA and Conditional Access, based on real-world scenarios we have encountered while helping organizations recover from cyber incidents. More importantly, we will share practical steps to help you strengthen these controls and close the gaps attackers eagerly exploit.
Hackers seek access to systems and data because it offers financial gain, competitive advantage, and personal information they can exploit, making it critical for organizations to protect these assets to maintain trust, compliance, and business continuity. Identity has become the central battleground in cybersecurity, and threats grow more sophisticated every day. That’s why organizations need more than basic measures: MFA and Conditional Access are essential, but only when configured and enforced correctly. So why do so many implementations fall short, and what can you do to get it right?
Avoiding the usual traps
MFA and Conditional Access are established security measures. To reduce the risk of improper implementation and potential gaps in protection, below are some common issues that we often observe:
1. Incomplete MFA Coverage
Surprisingly, MFA is often applied only to privileged accounts or ‘risky’ sign-ins. In some cases regular users and certain applications remain unprotected, leaving attackers with easy entry points.
2. Weak MFA Methods
Not all MFA is equal. SMS codes are vulnerable to SIM swapping and phishing, while push notifications can be abused through ‘MFA fatigue’ attacks bombarding users with prompts until they approve one.
3. Overly Permissive Conditional Access
Policies that trust certain locations or devices can backfire. For example, allowing all logins from within the Netherlands assumes attackers cannot spoof their location, yet VPN abuse proves otherwise.
4. Ignoring Non-Cloud Entry Points
Securing Office 365 is a good start, but what about VPNs or RDP? These on-premise systems are frequently overlooked, even though attackers actively target them.
5. Lack of User Awareness
Even the best controls fail if users approve fraudulent MFA prompts. Education is critical to prevent accidental approvals.
Best Practices for effective MFA and Conditional Access
Getting MFA and Conditional Access right is not just about turning features on, it is about applying them consistently, intelligently, and with an eye toward evolving threats. Here’s how to do it well:
1. Enforce MFA Everywhere
- Make sure you have a complete overview of all systems and applications that require MFA. Create visibility and internal governance to track whether these systems are onboarded to MFA.
- Define clear MFA policies and verify that they are implemented correctly.
- Select an MFA solution that aligns with your integration requirements and overall security architecture to avoid compatibility issues and eliminate legacy authentication risks.
- Implementing Single Sign-On (SSO) not only simplifies the user experience by reducing login fatigue but also strengthens security by minimizing the number of authentication points. It provides centralized visibility into login activity, making it easier to monitor access patterns and enforce MFA consistently across all connected applications.
2. Use Strong, Phishing-Resistant Methods
Prioritize FIDO2 security keys, or authenticator apps with number matching or biometrics. These stronger MFA methods significantly raise the bar for attackers.
3. Build Smart Conditional Access Policies
Conditional Access should go beyond geography. Instead, design policies based on risk signals (e.g., unfamiliar IPs, impossible travel), device compliance, and user roles. Add session controls like step-up authentication for sensitive actions. This layered approach makes it harder for attackers to exploit a single weakness.
4. Review and Adapt Regularly
Conditional Access is not a ‘set and forget’ solution. Your environment changes, new apps, new users, new threats. Schedule regular reviews, validate exceptions, and use tools like policy simulators to test changes before rollout. Continuous improvement is key to staying ahead.
5. Educate and Monitor
Even the best controls can fail if users do not understand them. Train employees to recognize suspicious MFA prompts and to report them immediately. Pair this with continuous monitoring and alerts for unusual MFA behavior, impossible travel, or unfamiliar devices, to catch threats that slip past preventive measures.
Conclusion
Cybercriminals thrive on gaps: incomplete coverage, weak methods, and overlooked entry points. Closing these gaps requires more than turning features on; it demands continuous review, strong policies, and user education.
Identity is the frontline of security. By enforcing phishing-resistant MFA, blocking legacy protocols, and applying risk-based Conditional Access, organizations can significantly reduce their exposure to identity-driven attacks.
To conclude, MFA and Conditional Access are strong cybersecurity tools, but their effectiveness depends on consistent and smart use. Without proper implementation, they can still leave security gaps.
And the work does not stop here. In our next post, we will explore how security monitoring complements MFA and Conditional Access, helping you detect and respond to threats in real time. Stay tuned!
