Authentication & Security
Security is ever more critical in today’s modern digital world. One way society is maintaining security standards is via Two Factor Authentication. Two Factor Authentication, or 2FA, is an additional means of security by which users combine two different components of identification. It requires that a user provide a secondary piece of information alongside their usual standard method of access to accounts, etc.
Knowledge Factor
These are the most common methods of identity authentication, through answering of a question that only the user should know the answer to - for example a password they previously chose, the PIN to their bank card, the answer to a predefined security question (eg. mother’s maiden name or first pet name). The latter can be a poor form of authentication as such questions may be widely known about the person.
The most basic case of authentication by possession is a key and a lock - those who are without the possession of the key are unable to open the lock. These days people can carry a security token or download mobile authentication apps to perform possession authentication. SMS authentication is another type of possession authentication, as the user must have access to the correct mobile handset.
