Two Factor Authentication 2FA
Two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security by introducing a second step to your login. It takes something you know (i.e.: your password), and adds a second factor, typically something you physically have (such as your phone). Since both are required to log in, in the event an attacker obtains your password two-factor authentication would stop them for accessing your account.
Two-factor authentication (2 factor authentication or 2FA) is the authentication process where two of the three possible factors of authentication are combined.
The possible factors of authentication are:
- something the user knows (e.g. a password, PIN code, or answer to secret question)
- something the user has (e.g. a token, a mobile phone, a USB, a key fob)
- something the user is (e.g. face or voice recognition, behavioral biometrics, fingerprint, retina or iris scan)
In internet security, the most used factors of authentication are: something the user has (e.g. a bank card) and something the user knows (e.g. a PIN code). This is two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication is also sometimes referred to as “strong authentication”, “2-Step verification” or “2FA”.