Posted On 09 Nov 2021
Almost every time a security breach occurs, the failures can be traced back to simple issues like weak credentials and lax security standards. You’ve probably come across terms like single-factor, two-factor, and multifactor authentication.
But what are the actual distinctions between these approaches, and how can one safeguard your organization?
What exactly are factors and authenticators?
Factors are divided into four categories:
Knowledge: Something you know, such as a PIN or a password.
Possession: Something you own, such as a one-time password generator or a smartphone.
Inherence: Something that identifies you, such as a fingerprint or a face scan.
Context: Something you do in your day-to-day life, such as your reaction or a pattern.
Single-factor authentication means that only one of these elements, usually a password, is required in addition to a username or account number. That’s all there is to it. In today’s digital world, using single-factor authentication on any form of account is severely discouraged, and it has now been added to CISA’s List of Bad Practices. More verification that prove your identity is required for additional account protection.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is when two authentication elements are required to get access, whereas multifactor authentication (MFA) is when more than two factors are necessary.
Why is multifactor authentication better than two-factor authentication?
Adding at least one more layer to 2FA, such as combining a PIN and texted passcode with a biometric layer like a face scan, provides a formidable barrier between the hacker and the protected data. MFA implies you’re in complete control of all security, especially when an MFA hardware cryptographic device is utilized, as suggested by NIST for AAL 3.
A genuinely unbreakable data protection solution involves multifactor authentication. Multifactor authentication solutions not only assist in preventing theft and illegal access, but they also provide your team more assurance that only your team has access to important and secret information.
