Summary
This report details how USDA successfully implemented phishing-resistant authentication for its personnel in situations where USDA could not exclusively rely on personal identity verification (PIV) cards. USDA turned to Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) capabilities, a set of authentication protocols that uses cryptographic keys on user devices, to offer a secure way to authenticate user identities without passwords. USDA’s adoption of FIDO highlights the importance of organizations moving away from password authentication and adopting more secure MFA technologies. This report offers examples to help organizations strengthen their cybersecurity posture through use cases, recommended actions, and resources. USDA successfully implemented MFA by adopting a centralized model, making incremental improvements, and addressing specific use cases.