An important feature of any authentication method is its resistance to compromise. Resistance to compromise is related to the minimization of uncertainty but recognize that these two characteristics are not identical. For example, a method could be statistically robust in terms of the odds of a correct association, but it still could be relatively easy to compromise. This would clearly affect the method’s effectiveness over time, and confidence in the one-to-one association between the credential and the credential holder would ultimately degrade. Show
Multifactor authentication is designed to decrease uncertainty by increasing the resistance to compromise. It decreases uncertainty by combining “something you know” with “something you are or possess.” The “something you know” is typically a secret number or Personal Identification Number (PIN) and the “something you are or possess” is a physical ID/card or a biometric. Anyone who has used an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is quite familiar with multifactor authentication. Multifactor authentication is being offered by an increasing number of service providers, especially those that store sensitive data. Often this advanced functionality is not advertised prominently by cloud providers. So, if you feel that multifactor authentication is necessary in your deployment, you should ask the provider about it. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) uses multiple technologies to authenticate a user's identity. In contrast, single factor authentication (or simply “authentication”) uses a single technology to prove the user’s authenticity. With MFA, users must combine verification technologies from at least two different groups or authentication factors. These factors fall into three categories: something you know, something you have, and something you are. This is why using a PIN with a password (both from the “something you know” category) would not be considered multi-factor authentication, while using a PIN with facial recognition (from the “something you are” category) would be. Note that a password is not required to qualify for MFA. An MFA solution can be entirely passwordless. It is also acceptable to use more than two authentication methods. However, most users want frictionless authentication (the ability to be verified without the need to perform verification). What authentication factors are used in MFA?Following are the three main categories:
To achieve multi-factor authentication, at least two different technologies from at least two different technology groups must be used for authentication process. As a result, using a PIN coupled with a password would not be considered multi-factor authentication, while using a PIN with facial recognition as a second factor would be. It is also acceptable to use more than two forms of authentication. However, most users increasingly want frictionless authentication (the ability to be verified without the need to perform verification) What is the difference between two-factor and multi-factor authentication?To be considered two-factor authentication (2FA), a solution always requires the user to present two authentication factors from two different categories, such as a possession factor and a knowledge factor, to verify their identity. Multi-factor authentication is broader than two-factor authentication. It requires the organization to use two or more factors in the authentication process. Analyst ReportKuppingerCole Leadership Compass Cloud-based MFA SolutionsOverview of the SaaS MFA market, with top requirements, insights on 12 leading vendors, and the latest innovations. Download NowWhat are the different types of multi-factor authentication technologies?Following are common MFA technologies:
Why do organizations need multi-factor authentication?Account takeover fraud (ATO) is a surging cybersecurity threat, fueled by sophisticated social engineering (i.e. Phishing attacks), mobile malware, and other attacks. Properly designed and implemented MFA methods are more reliable and effective against sophisticated attacks than outdated single-factor username/password authentication, which can easily be compromised by cybercriminals via widely available hacking tools. What are some key benefits of MFA?As part of their security strategy, organizations use MFA to achieve:
How is cloud computing making an impact on MFA?Banks, financial institutions, and other financial services organizations are beginning to shift from internally hosted applications in favor of cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications, such as Office 365, Salesforce, Slack, and OneSpan Sign. As a result, the amount of sensitive data and files hosted in the cloud is increasing, elevating the risk of a data breach of compromised personal information (PII) which drives account takeovers. Adding to the security risk, users of SaaS apps can be located anywhere, not just within corporate networks. The extra layers of security provided by MFA vs. simple password protection can help counter these risks. In addition to knowledge, possession, and inherence factors, some MFA technologies use location factors, such as media access control (MAC) addresses for devices, to ensure that the resource is accessible only from specified devices. Another way cloud is affecting MFA is through cloud hosting of MFA solutions, which are typically more cost-effective to implement, less complex to administer, and more flexible than on-premises solutions. Cloud-based products may provide more options targeted to mobile users, such as mobile authenticator apps, push notifications, context analytics like geolocation, and biometrics. How can banks get started with multi-factor authentication?OneSpan’s multi-factor authentication solutions have been designed from the ground up to safeguard accounts and transactions by offering multiple authentication factors while meeting demands for a simple sign-in process. OneSpan has invested considerable time and resources to create easy-to-use, scalable, and reliable solutions that deliver strong authentication using a range of easy verification options — such as color QR codes and Bluetooth. These include:
BlogHackers Love Companies that Don't Use Multifactor AuthenticationIt’s remarkable just how many significant security breaches could have been prevented if only multifactor authentication technology had been deployed. Read MoreWhy should financial services consumers use MFA?Consumers should use MFA whenever they access sensitive data. A good example is using an ATM to access a bank account. The account owner uses MFA by combining something they know (the PIN) and something they have (the ATM card). Similarly, when logging in to a Facebook, Google, or Microsoft account from a new location or device, consumers use MFA by entering something they know (the password) and a second factor, something they have (the mobile app that receives the push or SMS notification). Multi-factor authentication FAQWhat makes MFA so secure?Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of authentication that makes it much harder for cybercriminals to successfully hack accounts. Standard credentials (username and password) are relatively easy for threat actors to obtain using phishing and other widely available tools and resources. Also, the common practice of reusing a password makes it possible for a hacker to compromise multiple accounts with one successful attack. With MFA, authorization credentials must come from two or more different categories: something you know (a password), something you have (an SMS code, smartcard, authenticator app, or hardware token, also known as a key fob), and something you are (a biometric). Thieves would have to steal items beyond a password—such as your smartphone or bank card—making it much harder for them to compromise your account. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommends using MFA whenever possible, especially when it comes to the most sensitive data like your financial accounts and health records. What are “implicit attributes,” and do they count as factors?Also referred to as contextual authentication, implicit attributes use geolocation, IP address, time of day and device identifiers such as the operating system or the mobile phone’s browser version, to help determine whether a user’s identity is authentic. While implicit attributes are not authentication factors because they do not confirm a user’s identity or provide identity verification, they can help strengthen barriers to cyberattacks. What is the difference between two-factor authentication and MFA?Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a subset of MFA that uses two factors from two of these categories—something you know, something you have, and something you are—to verify identity. Multi-factor authentication could involve more than two factors, although many multi factor authentication solutions use two. Which types of cyberattacks can MFA help to prevent?MFA helps to thwart the following types of cyberattacks by requiring additional information or credentials from the user.
What is adaptive authentication?Adaptive authentication, also called risk-based authentication, is a type of MFA that adjusts required authentication factors based on a transaction’s level of risk. It uses anti-fraud rules to produce a pre-defined reaction to the authentication attempt. The appropriate type of authentication can be defined for the appropriate type of perceived risk based on known points of data. For instance, attempts from a specific location (e.g., outside the customer’s country) might be defined to trigger a certain type of MFA combination. What are out-of-band mechanisms in MFA, and how do they work?Out-of-band authentication is a type of MFA that requires a secondary verification method through a separate communication channel. Typically, this involves sending a one-time passcode (OTP) to the user’s mobile phone to be applied in conjunction with their password-protected Internet connection on a different device, such as a desktop or laptop.
What technologies are being explored to streamline MFA for mobile users?Because MFA solutions enforce additional authentication measures, they can make the process of accessing an account or portal more burdensome, particularly for mobile phone users. This added burden, which slows people down or makes it harder for them to accomplish a task, is called “friction.” To help streamline the authentication process and reduce friction, new “passive” technologies work in the background without requiring user action. One example is behavioral biometric authentication, which identifies a person based on their unique patterns of typing or swiping when interacting with a smartphone or tablet. What is the WebAuthn standard and how can it help strengthen security for online banking?WebAuthn attempts to bring FIDO-style authentication technology to web applications. It provides a standard way for web application developers to implement secure multi factor authentication without having to use third-party authentication libraries and systems. WebAuthn brings the safety of biometrics and strong authentication to web applications that previously required heavy back-ends and additional engineering considerations. The WebAuthn protocol is designed to give developers of newer single page applications (SPAs) and progressive web apps (PWAs) a way to implement strong authentication leveraging built-in local device technologies that web pages couldn’t easily access before. Which of the following is an accurate definition of scareware?Scareware. Scareware involves victims being bombarded with false alarms and fictitious threats. Users are deceived to think their system is infected with malware, prompting them to install software that has no real benefit (other than for the perpetrator) or is malware itself.
Which of the following is an accurate definition of digital rights management?Which of the following is an accurate definition of digital rights management? It refers to technologies that intellectual property owners use to control access to their digital content.
Which of the following is an accurate definition of a computer virus?Definition: A computer virus is a malicious software program loaded onto a user's computer without the user's knowledge and performs malicious actions.
Is the art of manipulating people into breaking normal security procedures or divulging confidential information?What is social engineering? Social engineering is an attack vector that relies heavily on human interaction and often involves manipulating people into breaking normal security procedures and best practices to gain unauthorized access to systems, networks or physical locations or for financial gain.
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