This misconfiguration highlights a detailed aspect of the MITRE ATT&CK matrix and describes a security gap in multi-factor authentication.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security mechanism that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource such as an application, cloud estate or user account. Instead of relying solely on a username and password, MFA requires additional credentials. These credentials can take the form of a code, provided by a phone or hardware device or a user could opt to use a fingerprint or facial recognition. This layered approach significantly enhances security by making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access sensitive information, even if they have obtained one of the authentication factors.

The implementation of multi-factor authentication can at times be complex. This complexity could lead to misconfiguration, which would result in a weaker security posture. Malicious actors could try to take advantage of this to either bypass MFA, or to use it against the user to lock them out of their accounts.

Mitigations: Ensure MFA is enabled for all accounts, especially privileges or administrative ones, to avoid leaving security gaps. Periodically review and audit MFA configurations to ensure they are correctly implemented and up-to-date. This helps identify and rectify any misconfigurations. If possible integrate MFA with SSO solutions to streamline the authentication process and reduce the risk of misconfiguration.