
Weak passwords are responsible for [81% of company data breaches](https://bnd.nd.gov/81-of-company-data-breaches-due-to-poor-passwords/). When password authentication is your only line of defense, your business becomes an easy target for fraud, scams, and cyberattacks. All it takes is one reused or predictable password to expose sensitive systems. Relying on passwords alone is no longer viable.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) adds a vital second layer of protection, requiring users to verify their identity through something they have or something they are. It’s not just a best practice anymore, it’s a baseline security standard every organization must adopt to prevent account takeovers and protect critical data.

## The Modern Threat Landscape: Why Passwords Fall Short {#modern-threat}

Passwords are inherently vulnerable, reused, phishable, and ultimately static. Today’s attackers exploit automated bots to launch millions of login attempts daily, while sophisticated social‑engineering campaigns harvest credentials with alarming success. Even organizations that enforce complex password policies remain exposed:

- **Phishing Proliferation** - AI‑generated spear‑phishing emails mimic trusted senders more convincingly than ever, tricking users into revealing passwords.
- **Credential Stuffing** - Leaked credentials from unrelated breaches are reused across multiple sites, enabling attackers to access accounts wherever users recycle passwords.
- **Brute‑Force & Automation** - Cloud‑based botnets can execute thousands of login attempts per second—far outpacing any manual defense.

With the rising frequency of cyberattacks, phishing scams, and credential stuffing, 2FA has become essential for businesses and individuals alike. Here’s why:

- **Mitigates Password-Based Attacks**: 2FA prevents [100% of automated bot attacks](https://www.eftsure.com/statistics/two-factor-authentication-statistics/#statistic-source-panel-section), including brute force and phishing attempts.
- **Ensures Regulatory Compliance**: It helps meet global data protection standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and NIST.
- **Strengthens Enterprise Security**: 2FA is critical for protecting sensitive assets across business tools like Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket, especially when managing internal IP, customer data, and project documentation.

## How Can miniOrange’s 2-Factor Authentication Solutions Help? {#2-factor-authentication-solution}

The miniOrange Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) plugin is a powerful cybersecurity tool designed to secure Atlassian applications like Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, Bamboo, and Crowd. It introduces an additional layer of identity verification that goes beyond passwords, using a second factor such as an OTP sent via SMS, email, or a hardware token like Yubikey.

This approach strengthens access control mechanisms, making it significantly more difficult for attackers to exploit compromised credentials. Whether you manage a small software team or a global enterprise, miniOrange offers the flexibility to enforce Atlassian two factor authentication at scale.

The plugin also integrates seamlessly with Jira SSO configuration, supporting both SSO and 2FA in a unified framework. This ensures smooth and secure user experiences across multiple platforms, reducing password fatigue and increasing organizational security.

### Real-World Example: Allianz

Allianz, a global insurance leader, implemented [miniOrange’s 2FA solution](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/single-sign-on-sso-for-allianz) across its Atlassian environment. The result? Secured access for over 159,000 employees and external users across 70+ countries, helping Allianz maintain strong regulatory compliance and enterprise-wide operational security.

## Key Benefits of miniOrange 2FA for Atlassian Tools {#key-benefits}

[miniOrange 2FA for Atlassian](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/atlassian-two-factor-authentication) Suite offers a host of benefits that make it one of the best cybersecurity companies for Atlassian security enhancements. Its focus on strong identity verification not only boosts protection but also streamlines compliance with international cybersecurity laws and frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.

### Key Advantages:

- **REST API Protection with MFA**: Enhance your API security by adding 2FA to REST API access, ensuring that only authenticated requests reach your critical resources.
- **Stops Unauthorized Access**: Prevents account takeovers even if passwords are leaked or compromised by enforcing an additional layer of authentication.
- **Brute Force Attack Protection**: Detects and blocks repeated login attempts, shielding endpoints from automated attacks and credential stuffing.
- **Flexible Authentication Methods**: Supports a wide array of 2FA options including TOTP apps, SMS OTP, biometric verification, and hardware tokens like YubiKey.
- **User Convenience**: Enhances usability with fallback authentication options, device recognition features, and customizable workflows to reduce friction without compromising security.
- **Compliance Readiness**: Designed to help organizations meet stringent security standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and NIST by securing both user logins and API interactions.

For companies using Jira 2FA or looking to enforce 2FA across Atlassian tools, miniOrange provides a robust, customizable, and enterprise-grade solution.

## Best Practices for Implementing 2FA {#best-practices}

To maximize protection and minimize user friction, follow these implementation best practices:

- **Enforce 2FA Across the Board:** Apply it to all users, including internal teams and third-party collaborators.
- **Prioritize Phishing-Resistant Methods:** Use hardware tokens or WebAuthn-based authentication instead of vulnerable SMS codes.
- **Enable Adaptive Authentication:** Tighten 2FA rules for sensitive actions like admin logins, permissions changes, or remote access.
- **Adopt a Zero Trust Model:** Treat every access attempt as a potential threat, regardless of user location or device.
- **Provide Backup Options:** Ensure recovery paths with backup codes, alternate emails, or admin-initiated resets to avoid account lockouts.

## Core Features of the miniOrange 2FA Add-On {#core-features}

The [2-Factor Authentication add-on for Atlassian by miniOrange](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/search?query=miniOrange%202FA) gives admins comprehensive control over how authentication is enforced and executed across users and teams. These features are critical for ensuring secure, flexible, and manageable access control in large organizations.

### Core Functionalities:

1. Multiple Authentication Methods:

- TOTP via Authenticator App
- OTP over Email
- OTP over SMS
- Yubikey (U2F/WebAuthn)
- Security Questions
- Backup Codes

2. Enforcement Flexibility:

- Enforce 2FA for all users or selectively by role, group, or IP address.
- Customize authentication flows per department or compliance requirement.

3. Advanced Security Features:

- IP-based Restrictions: Allow or deny access based on geolocation.
- Audit Logs: Track login attempts and security events.
- One-Time Validation Across Crowd Apps: Authenticate once to gain access across connected systems.

These features collectively strengthen brute force password protection, enhance data security, and enable smart 2FA implementations across your Atlassian suite.

## Additional miniOrange Security Features {#additional-security-features}

Beyond its primary authentication methods, miniOrange 2FA offers a comprehensive suite of features that further strengthen access control and cybersecurity posture.

### Key Enhancements:

- **One-Time 2FA Validation Across Crowd Applications**: If a user verifies through one Atlassian application, access to others in the suite (e.g., Jira, Confluence) is streamlined.
- **IP-Based Restrictions**: Limit access to known networks to avoid malicious logins from unfamiliar sources.
- **Multiple Backup Methods**: Ensure users retain access even if the primary method fails. Options include backup codes, OTP over email, and security questions.
- **Audit Logging**: Maintain detailed logs of login attempts, successes, and failures to detect suspicious activity.
- **Customizable Templates**: Personalize user-facing instructions for 2FA setup and login.
- **Remember My Device**: Temporarily skip 2FA for trusted devices to enhance convenience.

These capabilities make miniOrange not only effective in preventing cyber intrusions but also practical for day-to-day use in a busy corporate environment.

## Conclusion {#conclusion}

As AI-powered hybrid attacks and zero-day exploits become more prevalent, organizations will need to evolve their approach to access security. The future of cybersecurity lies in adaptive, context-aware, and passwordless authentication.

miniOrange is already preparing for this future with innovations in biometrics, WebAuthn, and federated identity. Pairing strong 2FA with intelligent security analytics will be the gold standard moving forward.

With [miniOrange 2FA solution for Atlassian](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/search?query=miniOrange%202FA) tools like Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket, you gain enterprise-ready protection, regulatory compliance, and peace of mind.

## FAQs {#faq}

**1. Is 2FA safe?**

Yes, when implemented correctly, 2FA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access by requiring a second factor for authentication.

**2. What is the strongest 2FA method?**

Hardware-based authentication (e.g., Yubikey) and biometric authentication are considered among the most secure 2FA methods.


Weak passwords cause the majority of data breaches, making password-only security a serious risk in 2025. Understand why Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is now a must-have for Atlassian tools like Jira and Confluence, how it blocks phishing and credential-based attacks, and why it’s become a baseline security standard.

Cybersecurity in 2025: Why 2FA Is a Must-Have for Atlassian Apps


## Secure Data in Jira and Confluence using WebAuthn {#secure-data-in-jira-and-confluence-using-webauthn}

Passwords are difficult to remember, driving individuals to pick feeble ones and reuse them again and again. Passwords are additionally simple to phish, with security attacks that happen from time to time. Even if you have a complex password set for your account, there are multiple ways in which it can be hacked.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even assuming your password is uncovered and ends up with a hacker, if you utilize WebAuthn, they actually can’t break your record. That is the thing that makes WebAuthn such a strong security initiative.

### What is WebAuthn? {#what-is-webAuthn?}

WebAuthn or Web Authentication API permits web applications to integrate secure verification for both multi-factor and single-factor authentication. Utilizing WebAuthn, web applications can build security to prevent phishing attacks and ease user experience with passwordless verification. This means your Jira or Confluence can be easily configured to use your device’s FaceID recognition, Fingerprint, or any hardware token. In this way, your users don’t need to remember a password for each login, and the login experience will completely be passwordless. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Web Authentication API (otherwise called WebAuthn) is composed of the W3C and FIDO. The API permits workers to enlist and confirm clients utilizing public key cryptography rather than a password. As of January 2019, WebAuthn is supported on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and Safari.

**Is this all you need? What if you could decide how your users log in to Jira and JSM?**

We provide additional features on top of your Atlassian native SSO, miniOrange’s [advanced option for the SSO plugin](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1229209/advance-options-for-atlassian-sso?hosting=datacenter&tab=overview).

Contact Us – Drop us a mail at **info@xecurify.com** or [raise a ticket here](https://miniorange.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2) to talk to us.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since the basic use case of SSO is satisfied by the Native SSO already, hence we decided to enhance the functionality of SSO by offering two distinct features :- 

1. SSO Redirection Policy
- Default rule (redirect to URL or IDP)
- Domain based redirection
- Group based redirection
 
&nbsp;&nbsp;

2. SSO Authentication Template
- Login Template
- Logout Template

1. SSO Redirection Policy:
This allows the users to have a set of rules that will decide how users will log in to Jira and JSM. Depending on the configuration, you can choose which users need to be re-directed to the configured IDP or the login page. Every end-user will be required to enter the username or email address, then they will be matched against some pre-configured rules by the admin.

- Default rule –

URL or IDP – enabling this rule will redirect your users directly to the intended URL or IDP without clicking on any buttons or links.
- Domain based redirection –

This redirects the users to the configured IDP or Jira login page on the basis of the domain of the user.
- Group based redirection –

It redirects the users to the IDP or Jira login page on the basis of the groups they belong to. 

You can set multiple rules and decide their order of priority.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

2. SSO Authentication Template :–
We understand the importance of visual aesthetic and ease of understanding! This is exactly what this feature does, it gives the flexibility to the user to design their login and logout template as per their requirement. They can make it visually appealing or customize it as they like to.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

**Design the UI of login template:**

- Custom login template : To enhance the look and feel of login page UI custom login template will allow you to customize and display an easy-to-use login page to the end-users.
- Custom logout template : Pretty similar to login template, it can be used to change the message after the user has logged out and show any custom message.

Wait! That’s not all. We have some exciting upcoming features too 

- Advance on-the-fly group provisioning
- Manual group mapping
- Group filter
- Group regex
- Additional user properties

### How do you achieve this? {#how-do-you-achieve-this}

**Our WebAuthn plugin is here to solve all of your security issues!**

The [miniOrange WebAuthn plugin](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1225055/mo-webauthn-passwordless-login-for-jira?hosting=datacenter&tab=overview) doesn’t request a secret key or any password. This is because it makes a one-time verification token each time you sign in, it fundamentally follows the suggested security practice of making a secure password for each site. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;

What’s more, does it use your device’s in-built fingerprint scanner or face scanner or your local credentials? Yes, it does and it does not require any additional hardware which you have to invest in or need to carry all the time, you can simply use your own device’s authenticator to log into your Atlassian applications (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket etc) securely.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

WebAuthn upholds two fundamental classifications of validation: **biometrics and hardware security tokens.** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;

### What’s the secret behind WebAuthn how does it work? {#whats-the-secret-behind-webauth?}

An important aspect of understanding WebAuthn is public keys. Public keys can be shared with everyone in the system and anyone can use it. Once the sender has the public key, he uses it to encrypt his message.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Each public key comes paired with a unique private key. Think of a private key as the key to the front door of a business where only you have a copy. The private key ensures only you can get through the front door.  

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Together, these keys help to ensure the security of the exchanged data. A message encrypted with the public key cannot be decrypted without using the corresponding private key.

### How does our plugin work? {#how-dows-our-plugin-work}

Our WebAuthn add-on for [JIRA](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1225055/mo-webauthn-passwordless-login-for-jira/version-history), [Confluence](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1225056/mo-webauthn-passwordless-login-for-confluence/version-history), and [Bitbucket]{https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1225057/mo-web-authentication-api-webauthn-for-bitbucket?hosting=server&tab=overview} allows administrators to manage authentication for individuals or groups of users. You can enable WebAuthn for specific users or groups of users, depending on who you believe needs this feature the most.

If a user is experiencing issues with their authenticator, the admin can reset the configuration for that user from the plugin or allow that user to bypass the WebAuthn authentication, so they can access the Atlassian Applications.

![Webauthn](/blog/assets/2023/webauthn-architecture-diagram.webp)

User Authentication requests will be sent using local authenticators. Successful authentication will generate a key pair (public key, private key). Out of which, the public key will be stored in a remote database and the private key will be kept with the local machine.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

These two keys will work together to provide the system with an extra layer of security and improve user experience.

&nbsp;&nbsp;

While using the WebAuthn, users will be asked to set up the local authenticator to sign in to the Atlassian application, by providing valid credentials.
&nbsp;&nbsp;

![Webauthn](/blog/assets/2023/configure-web-auth.webp)

After successful registration of their authenticators, from next time users can use those for logging into their Atlassian application without any hassle.


### Conclusion {#Conclusion}

Welcome to the promised land in the form of passwordless login. This new method offers just that, a way to remove the need for a password and have automated login via a device/biometric – no second factor  – **WebAuthn is the only factor**. WebAuthn is based on public-key cryptography.

In a nutshell, signatures are sent between a relying party (usually website) which stores the public key, and an authenticator (device or browser) and a biometric to authenticate you to the device – it’s neat, it’s easy to implement, it has some excellent security features that can help with the safety of your data, prevent phishing using biometric – and a panacea to authentication.


Contact Us – Drop us a mail at **info@xecurify.com** or [raise a ticket here](https://miniorange.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2) to talk to us.





Passwords are difficult to remember, driving individuals to pick feeble ones and reuse them again and again. Passwords are additionally simple to phish, with security attacks that happen from time to time.