| title | Multi-factor authentication |
|---|---|
| slug | Glossary/Multi-factor_authentication |
| page-type | glossary-definition |
| sidebar | glossarysidebar |
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an authentication method in which the user has to present more than one type of evidence to a system in order to be authenticated.
Most commonly, three different types of evidence (or factors) are distinguished:
- Something you know, such as a password or PIN
- Something you have, such as a cellphone or a hardware security token
- Something you are: a biometric such as a fingerprint
If an authentication system requires the user to provide more than one of these factors in order to authenticate, then it is a multi-factor system.
For example, the system might ask the user for a password as well as a code generated by the authenticator app on their phone.