What is multifactor authentication?

The correct answer is A. Authentication using multiple types of credentials. Multifactor authentication (MFA) requires a user to present two or more verification factors from different categories: something you know (password/PIN), something you have (token, smart card, phone), and something you are (biometric). The critical distinction is that the…

Access Controls Concepts

Question

Options

AAuthentication using multiple types of credentials
BAuthentication using biometric identifiers only
CAuthentication using only one type of credential
DAuthentication using a single password

How the community answered

(28 responses)

A
93% (26)
C
4% (1)
D
4% (1)

Explanation

Multifactor authentication (MFA) requires a user to present two or more verification factors from different categories: something you know (password/PIN), something you have (token, smart card, phone), and something you are (biometric). The critical distinction is that the factors must be from different categories - using two passwords is not MFA, it is just two-factor of the same type. Option B is incorrect because biometrics alone is single-factor. Options C and D describe single-factor authentication, which MFA is explicitly designed to improve upon.

Topics

#Multifactor Authentication (MFA)#Authentication Factors#Access Control#Identity Verification

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