What are the main types of authentication factors?

beginner

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Authentication factors are categorized into three main types:

Something you know (Knowledge factors)
- Passwords, PINs, security questions
Something you have (Possession factors)
- Smartphones, hardware tokens, smart cards
Something you are (Inherence factors)
- Biometrics: fingerprints, facial recognition, retina scans
  Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) combines two or more of these factors for enhanced security.

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