Your Samsung account is only the first step in the process your Samsung Knox journey. It serves as your gateway to the Knox Portal, which contains your company’s data. Securing your Samsung account is key to keeping all the important information in your Knox account safe.
Unprotected accounts are left vulnerable to cybercriminals – more colloquially known as hackers. Hackers use an array of attacks to collect sensitive information. They’re evolving, too. From the fourth quarter of 2022 to the same time in 2023, there was a 1,265% spike in hackers generative artificial intelligence tools to create convincing phishing emails, according to one report.
Within this new landscape of cyber-attacks, you need more than just your password for protection.
Looming cyber threats
In addition to the increase in AI-generated phishing emails, 300,497 phishing attacks were reported to the FBI in 2022, making phishing one of the most prevalent forms of cyber-attack.
Phishing uses “legitimate” looking email messages, text messages, or voice calls to trick victims into sharing sensitive information. In some cases, victims are lured into downloading malware or ransomware, allowing criminals more access to the victim’s device and confidential data. While most phishing attacks are “bulk phishing,” where fake messages are sent to a wider audience under the guise of a trusted sender, certain attacks – called “spear phishing” – target specific individuals or groups.
Spear phishing attacks are rarer but have larger impact. Business email compromise (BEC) scams involve sending emails to employees of targeted companies pretending to be from an employee or any other trusted partner to access sensitive data or accounts.
Another common cyber-attack leverages keystroke logging, or keylogging for short. Keylogging uses spyware to record a victim’s keystrokes, allowing hackers to collect their usernames, passwords, and any other valuable data that they’ve typed into the rigged keyboard. Keylogging has even been expanded for implementation on mobile phones to detect and learn typing patterns using vibrations from the keyboard, reproducing the letters into readable sentences with 80% accuracy.
Once hackers have access to the victim’s account, they can impersonate them to make transactions or use the victim’s account to access company information and then sell them to competitors. They can even hold the account hostage to blackmail or extort money from the victim.
Thankfully, there’s a way to protect your accounts and keep the hackers at bay.
Benefits of two-step verification
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the most secure forms of protection. Users are asked for two layers of “proof” before they can access the account, keeping accounts safe even if the passwords have been compromised.
Two-step verification is a form of two-factor authentication. It’s a method we use to secure your Samsung account, which is used for your Samsung Knox account. Here, users are sent a temporary code through SMS, or they can generate a code using an authenticator app on their mobile devices. If the user decides to receive the code through SMS, they’ll receive a text with a one-time password. On the other hand, if the user chooses the authentication app, the codes change periodically. All the user needs to do is enter the active code from the authenticator app. Because these two methods are tied to the user’s phone, they’re convenient to use and easy to set up.
The temporary codes that users receive add an extra layer to the log-in flow, blocking access for those who may have access to the password but nothing else.
What are the other benefits of two-step verification?
During a data breach, usernames and passwords are easily stolen. By incorporating an additional step into the log in process, even hackers who manage to obtain the correct username and password combination can’t access the accounts. The reduced risk of falling for phishing attacks gives users peace of mind, knowing their accounts are protected.
This is particularly vital for businesses, whose sensitive information is often stored in company devices. This added layer strengthens their security, guaranteeing that all information remains securely within their Samsung Knox accounts.
Setting up two-step verification
If you haven’t set up two-factor authentication, we’ve made it simple to set up on your Samsung account. Secure your Samsung Knox account by following this how-to guide.
