Freight brokers move fast. You’re juggling loads, carriers, and customers all at once. The last thing you want slowing you down is a security measure that feels like a hassle. But here’s the reality: the accounts your brokerage depends on are a target, and a strong password alone won’t protect them.
What is MFA?
MFA stands for Multi-Factor Authentication. It’s a layered security process requiring users to provide multiple verification factors to gain access to an application or account significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
The Three Keys:
- Something you know, like a password or PIN.
- Something you have, such as a smartphone app, smart card, or token.
- Something you are, commonly biometrics like fingerprints or face recognition.
What am I protecting?
Freight brokers hold a lot of valuable data: customer accounts, carrier contacts, payment information, and load histories. That makes brokerage accounts a worthwhile target for phishing attacks and credential theft.
When an account gets compromised, attackers gain access to sensitive information and cause real harm. The damage goes beyond the breach itself. You may lose access to your load board, have fraudulent transactions tied to your business, spend days cleaning up the fallout instead of covering freight, and seriously impact your business reputation.
Show me the numbers
The necessity for robust security is underscored by the rising threat of cargo theft and cybercrime. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a division of the FBI concerning suspected Internet-facilitated criminal activity, 2025 estimated cargo theft losses in the United States and Canada surged to nearly $725 million (60 percent increase from 2024), while confirmed cargo theft incidents increased by 18 percent.
Reports indicate that more than 99% of compromised accounts do not have MFA enabled; by simply adding this layer, you can stop nearly 100% of automated bot attacks and bulk phishing attempts.
It’s best practice to not only adopt MFA, but specifically token-based MFA. This MFA enhancement provides a time-sensitive, unique code (token) alongside passwords ensuring a narrower window of opportunity for unauthorized access
MFA is one of the simplest and most impactful risk management decisions you can make as a foundational layer of security that protects the digital infrastructure, your assets, and your professional reputation.
