Two-factor authentication

Security systems.

(2FA).

Two-factor authentication is a principle of security systems requiring additional features on top of standard usernames and passwords.

The additional features may be something you:

• Know: for example, a personal identification number (PIN), an additional password, answers to “secret questions” or specific keystroke patterns. Sometimes known as a knowledge factor.
• Have: for example a credit or debit card, a smartphone, or a small hardware token. Sometimes known as a possession factor.
• Are: for example, a fingerprint, iris scan, or voice print. Sometimes known as a biometric factor.

Keep control

"... the importance of not relinquishing your own control requirements, as a number of companies that turned off two-factor authentication when they went live with a cloud solution were subsequently breached."

Ludwig Keyser, Director of Joint Operations Centre, Barclays - EACT Conference Tackling cyber risks in treasury, January 2019.

See also

• 3D Secure
• Behavioural analytics
• Biometric recognition
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Strong Customer Authentication
• Token