Multi-factor authentication requires two or more different types of credentials to verify identity, significantly improving security over single-factor authentication.
Three authentication factors:
Something you know: Passwords, PINs, security questions
Something you have: Smart cards, tokens, mobile phones, hardware keys
Something you are: Biometrics (fingerprints, retina scans, voice recognition)
Common MFA implementations:
SMS/Email codes: Time-sensitive codes sent to registered devices
Authenticator apps: TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) generators like Google Authenticator
Hardware tokens: Physical devices generating codes or using cryptographic keys
Biometric + password: Fingerprint readers combined with traditional passwords
Push notifications: Mobile app confirmations
MFA dramatically reduces successful attacks even when passwords are compromised, as attackers would need access to multiple authentication factors.
Rewriting in plainer words…
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