What is 2FA?
Two-factor authentication (usually abbreviated 2FA)
is a way to prove that you actually are the owner
of a particular account by providing two ‘factors’ of
evidence. One factor is a piece of knowledge – your
password or PIN, for instance. Another factor may
be possession of a particular object – a phone that
receives texts sent to a certain number, a USB key fob,
or access to an email address. A another factor may
be inheritance – something inherent to you, like your
fingerprint or a retinal scan.
In other words, 2FA secures your account by making
you provide something you know (your password or PIN)
along with something you possess (your smartphone,
fingerprint, or a physical key) or something you are
(your fingerprint or a detailed face scan).
Consider the front door to your house. If you can
open it with just a key, that’s one-factor authentication;
you only must possess that specific object. If you
had to open your door with both a physical key as
well as dial in a four-digit pin into an electronic
lock, that would be two-factor authentication. Some
companies call this sort of security MFA (multi-factor
authentication) or two-step verification. While these
terms are a little different than 2FA, for most consumer
applications they essentially mean the same thing.SMS, email, or app?
The vast majority of 2FA methods for the kinds of
everyday accounts consumers have will be your
regular password or pin, together with one of three
other methods of proof:What is2FA?
Two-factorauthentication(usuallyabbreviated2FA)
isawaytoprovethatyouactuallyaretheowner
ofaparticularaccountbyprovidingtwo‘factors’of
evidence.Onefactorisapieceofknowledge–your
passwordorPIN,forinstance.Anotherfactormay
bepossessionofaparticularobject–aphonethat
receivestextssenttoacertainnumber,aUSBkeyfob,
oraccesstoanemailaddress.Aanotherfactormay
beinheritance–somethinginherenttoyou,likeyour
fingerprintoraretinalscan.
Inotherwords,2FAsecuresyouraccountbymaking
youprovidesomethingyouknow(yourpasswordorPIN)
alongwithsomethingyoupossess(yoursmartphone,
fingerprint,oraphysicalkey)orsomethingyouare
(yourfingerprintoradetailedfacescan).
Considerthefrontdoortoyourhouse.Ifyoucan
openitwithjustakey,that’sone-factorauthentication;
youonlymustpossessthatspecificobject.Ifyou
hadto openyourdoorwithbothaphysicalkeyas
wellasdialinafour-digitpinintoanelectronic
lock,thatwouldbetwo-factorauthentication.Some
companiescallthissortofsecurityMFA(multi-factor
authentication)ortwo-stepverification.Whilethese
termsarealittledifferentthan2FA,formostconsumer
applicationstheyessentiallymeanthesamething.
SMS, email,or app?
Thevastmajorityof2FAmethodsforthekindsof
everydayaccountsconsumershavewillbeyour
regularpasswordorpin,togetherwithoneofthree
othermethodsofproof: