The Key Considerations to Keep in Mind About the MFA Requirement for Salesforce

There's been a big change for Salesforce users in the recent weeks. Let’s take a look at how the MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) requirement affects customers and what you need to keep in mind since this requirement has come into place in February 2022.

The New MFA Requirement

As of February 1st, 2022, all Salesforce customers must ensure MFA to access Salesforce products. This is covered under the Salesforce Trust and Compliance Documentation and is a contractual requirement from this date. As you may have noticed, as of February 1, you are not blocked from logging in or accessing Salesforce products. Even if you have not been able to roll out MFA to your users by this date, they can continue to do their work as needed.

Get Compliant Now

Users have been notified throughout the last year that MFA will be enforced for their direct logins, and if you haven’t already done so, it’s best to act as soon as you can. MFA will be automatically enabled based on the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Enforcement Roadmap for anyone who logs in directly to Salesforce products. Then, MFA will be made mandatory for direct logins, and they’ll no longer have the option to disable it. One question we’ve received a lot is whether it applies if you use SSO. At the moment, there are no plans to enable MFA for your SSO identity provider. Keep in mind though that the contractual requirement still applies to anyone who accesses their Salesforce products through SSO.

Non-Compliance Means You Are Less Secure

The new MFA requirement aims to enhance protection for your data, offering a better service for your business and customers. Without it, you’ll be more open to cyberattacks and phishing, which no business can afford to fall victim to. Remember, we at Nexell will be happy to help at any time and ensure you are prepared and compliant. We’ll find a solution to overcome issues you may be facing and make this transition as smooth as possible for you.

Satisfying the Requirement on Time

If you are concerned about meeting the new requirements, just know you are not alone. This is going to be a big change for many customers, and there are often other priorities taking up your time and energy at work. You may also find that you have work environments where MFA just isn’t possible with the functionalities you use. Everyone is facing the same challenges and we will help you to find a solution to this task. Our team of experts would therefore be happy to support you in implementing these new requirements and discuss with you the best options for your company.

Move Quickly to Remain Compliant

If you are reading this today, you’re already well on your way to a more secure environment. MFA is a big change, so it’s important to move as fast as you can to avoid security issues. The number of cyberattacks has increased during COVID-19, and sadly, these aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Salesforce customers and other businesses are unfortunately not immune to these attacks. With the rise in these trends, it’s important to adopt MFA as quickly as you can. MFA will help to protect your Salesforce data and allow your business to grow and thrive at the start of the new year.

Key Terms to Learn about MFA

There are a few terms you may have heard over the last months already when discussing MFA. One of these is auto-enable MFA, which is when Salesforce turns MFA on for all users on a customer’s behalf. When you log in as a user, you’ll be prompted to register for MFA, and you won’t be able to do anything else until you’ve completed this action. With some products, this will already have been auto-enabled a few months before the enforcement. During this time you were able to temporarily disable MFA if you haven’t had everything in place for use yet.

However, very soon there will be a point where it’s a permanent part of the login process, so it’s best to get this looked at as soon as possible. This is referred to as enforce MFA, and this will auto-enable MFA for anyone who isn’t already using it. At that time, the option to disable MFA will be removed for everyone, including admins. Make sure you are ready for this day by acting now.

As you can see, there’s a lot to keep in mind with the upcoming changes to Salesforce with MFA. The sooner you can act on this change, the better equipped you’ll be to look after your business and security.

Contact us today for support, assistance or to discuss any questions you may have about MFA and Salesforce.