When you create an account on a website or on an application, you are often asked to indicate a login, like an email address, and a password. This information must not be transmitted under any circumstances but unfortunately it can be hacked, remotely or internally.
One can imagine the impact this can have for a “simple” website. So, for a LIMS containing sensitive or even confidential data, this can be a real problem and lead to information leaks or even a significant loss of money.
To fight against these problems, several solutions can be developed such as data encryption, access management for each user (LDAP) or even a simple disconnection after a period of inactivity. But other means can be put in place. One can however improve the way to connect and access the LIMS by using Two-Factor Authentication and/or the use of a Captcha.
What is the Two-Factor Authentication system?
Dual Authentication or Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a “strong” authentication method. When using it, the user must present two distinct proofs of identity in order to access their account.
LabCollector Two-Factor Authentication feature – code can be receive either by email and/or SMS
Most of the time, it is necessary to provide his login with his password and then a one-time code received most of the time by email or SMS.
Of course, this type of connection function requires an additional step. But this technique can help you to make your account less desirable to hackers because it is longer and more complex to crack. This way your data can stay safe!
What is the Captcha Test?
Today the term Captcha is used as a common word because it is becoming more and more widespread. But let’s take a look back at what exactly this term means…
The word CAPTCHA was coined in the early 2000s at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is actually an acronym that stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. This name refers to the Turing test. This test allows to determine if a software is intelligent enough to pretend to be a human being. Here, the goal is reversed, namely to determine that the user is indeed human by being more intelligent than the machine, which can’t decipher certain images.
The Captcha takes several forms today: a code composed of distorted numbers and letters, images to select or a simple checkbox.
LabCollector CAPTCHA test with letters and numbers
All these tests allow to bring the same answer: Are you a human being? Thanks to this test when you connect to your account, no hacker using a robot will be able to access your account.
What about LabCollector log in security options?
In order to counter external threats and to protect the data of each user as well as possible, LabCollector has decided to make available systems of securing access to the LabCollector account.
It is very easy to activate and adjust the settings directly from your LabCollector account. Adding Captcha, Two-Factor Authentication or both at the same time can give you more peace of mind about the security of your work data!
LabCollector configuration for 2FA and Captcha
You can read our Knowledge Base page to learn more about how to activate and configure these options.
Making your LIMS even more secure is possible!
With the rise of hacking and especially on institutions with important data such as schools, hospitals or important companies, laboratories must also secure sensitive data in efficient ways. Whether it’s research data or patient information, every piece of information is private and should remain so!
Making access to the LabCollector LIMS through the use of Captcha and Two-Factor Authentication is an important step to ensure that everyone involved can be confident that the data is safe!
