Preventing Breaches - MFA on Remote Access to Linux, Unix, and Infrastructure Systems
Security Boulevard, Thursday, February 26th, 2026
Most breaches don't start with malware or zero-day exploits. They start with a login.
An attacker gets hold of a password, maybe through phishing, reuse, or a leaked credential dump. They test it against a remote system. An SSH prompt appears. The credentials work. From there, everything unfolds quietly - privilege escalation, lateral movement, persistence. By the time anyone notices, the damage is already done.
This is why multi-factor authentication (MFA) matters. And more importantly, it's why where you enforce MFA matters. VPNs and cloud apps get attention. But the real crown jewels are Linux servers, Unix systems, and network devices. These systems handle sensitive data and traffic and are high exposure. Far too often, they are protected by nothing more than a password or an SSH key.