Cybercriminals are targeting businesses – of all sizes – daily. When an attacker gains access to your account they gain access to valuable and often confidential company data like your email, documents, spreadsheets, financial records, and more.

As responsible Internet citizens, we all need to be concerned about security. When an attacker manages to gain access to your data, it can have a crippling and often irreversible negative impact on your business and your reputation.

Did you know?

• 48% of SMBs expect to close permanently after a data breach²
• 91% of cyberattacks start with a phishing email³
• +74% y/y data breaches targeting small businesses in 2018⁴

What is 2-step verification?

Most people only have a single security layer to protect their account, their password. Today, 2-Step Verification is seen by many as a necessary additional layer of security.

A hacker might be able to steal or guess a password, but they can’t reproduce something only you have.

2-Step Verification adds an additional layer of security between your business and attackers who try to steal user credentials to access sensitive business data. (It works much like your bank OTP, but, if you use Google Authenticator, not even cloning your phone’s SIM card will enable the attacker to gain access to your accounts.)

You can secure your G Suite account by creating an additional layer of security via 2SV with:

• Something you know, your password.
• Something you have, your phone.

User: Enable 2-Step Verification

Google Workspace users can enable 2-Step verification by following these steps:

1. Open your Google Account.
2. In the navigation panel, select Security.
3. Under “Signing in to Google”, select 2-Step Verification and then Get started.
4. Follow the on-screen steps.

Detailed instructions: Protect your account with 2-step verification

Admin: Protect your business with 2SV

Business owners and administrators can use 2-step verification to protect G Suite accounts from unauthorized access.

Enabling 2-step verification is the single most important action you can take to protect your business.

For detailed instructions on how to enable this feature on your G Suite deployment, please see: Deploy 2-step verification

Need help deploying 2-step verification on your G Suite domain? Get in touch for help and advice.

Summary

The impact of a cyber attack can be crippling for many businesses, big and small, both financially and in terms of a damaged reputation. The cost of implementing 2-step verification is relatively small, and if you are already a G Suite customer, even less. To learn more about the ways we can help you secure your company’s data, contact us today.

Helpful resources

• Get G Suite Support
• Have I Been Pwned?
• Protect your account with 2-step verification
• Deploy 2-step verification

¹ https://www.businessinsider.co.za/sa-third-highest-number-of-cybercrime-victims-2020-6
² Cyberthreat Index for business 2019
³ Enterprise Phishing Susceptibility and Resiliency Report, 2016
⁴ Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2018