Why is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) important?
Multi-factor authentication improves an organization’s security because it requires additional factors to verify a user. For this reason, organizations have turned to MFA to ensure greater trust and allow authenticated users to access websites, applications, and resources.
How does Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) work?
MFA requires the user to provide at least one additional factor of verification to gain access. Adding a factor beyond the username and password ensures greater security. This factor requests information that genuine users easily provide but cyber criminals do not have at their disposal.
The process usually consists of:
The user enters their username and password to access an account.
A second verification factor is requested: fingerprint, PIN or one-time password (OTP).
The user provides the requested factor. This factor is based on information that he provided when creating his account.
Is Two Factor Authentication (2FA) a form of MFA?
Yes that’s how it is. 2FA is a form of MFA that requires the user to verify two factors.
What are the four types of factors?
To verify a user, four types of factors can be used:
Knowledge: Something that the user knows.
Possession: something that the user has.
Biometric: something that the user is.
Location: The place where the user is.
What are the main token-based authentications?
Transparent authenticators validate users without daily participation.
digital certificates
IP geolocation
device authentication
What is adaptive authentication (risk-based authentication)?
Adaptive Authentication or risk-based authentication analyzes the risk of the user’s profile before the requested access. The greater the risk of a user profile, the greater the challenges. With adaptive authentication, you can request more factors or credentials from the user when the level of risk requires it.
Although organizations can determine their risk levels, the risk of a user profile is often based on policies about where users log in from, when they log in, the device they use to log in, and the network public or private through which they connect.
