To gain access, users must provide at least two authentication factors at login to verify their identity. Each new element of authentication that is added to the login process increases security. In most cases, to use multi-factor authentication (MFA), a user must enter some combination of the following:
- Something you know: for example, a password or personal identification number (PIN);
- Something you have: for example, a smart card, mobile token or hardware token; and
- A certain biometric factor (for example, fingerprints, palm or voice recognition).
For example, MFA may require customers to insert a smart card or bank card into a card reader and then enter a password or PIN. If the person holding the card does not know the password, they will not be able to log in. Similarly, without physical access to the card, the password is meaningless.
