Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) is a security technology that requires multiple methods of authentication from independent categories of credentials to verify a user’s identity for a login or other transactions. Multifactor authentication combines two or more independent credentials: what the user knows, such as a password; what the user has, such as a security token; And what is the user, using biometric verification methods.
Working
Multi-factor Authentication works by requiring additional validation information (factors). One of the most common MFA factors encountered by users is One-Time Password (OTP). OTPs are those 4-8 digit codes that you often receive via email, SMS, or on other mobile apps. A new code along with the OTP is generated periodically or every time an authentication request is submitted. The code is generated based on a seed value that is assigned to the user when they first register and some other factor which can be just a counter that is incremented or a one-time value.
Methods of MFA:
Knowledge:
Usually a password – is the most commonly used appliance in Multi-factor Authentication solutions. However, despite their simplicity, passwords have become a security issue and slow down productivity.
Users today have too many passwords. To make their management easier, users create passwords that are not secure or that are used repeatedly across platforms. Another disadvantage is that knowledge can be forgotten or stolen if stored somewhere.
Security question – another knowledge method in widespread use but falling out of favor. It requires users to store the answer to a personal question in their profile and enter it during login. This process is difficult due to repeated data entry and the need to store and manage their answers.
Dynamic security questions, which are more effective and user-friendly, typically ask for relevant information, such as recent financial transactions.
Physical factors:
Also called possession factors use a token, such as a USB dongle or a portable device. It generates a temporary QR (quick response) code. Mobile phones are readily available in most situations.
On the plus side, the physical factors are outside the network and are generally difficult to spoof. But devices like phones can be lost or stolen, and mobile networks can present their own security sensitivity.
A virtual “soft” token is a cookie or piece of code stored in a way that effectively turns the device into a physical token. Soft tokens may not be suitable for all users as they require software and expertise to use them properly. Furthermore, soft tokens can be duplicated, which can lead to unauthorized use.
The U2F standard pairs a USB or near-field communication (NFC) token with an open-standard application. It provides a simple way to use additional authentication factors with platforms that support them.
Inherent:
Biometrics such as fingerprint, face, and retina scans are included in this category. As technology advances, it may also include other behavioral inputs such as voice ID or keystroke metrics. Because the underlying factors are reliably unique, always present, and safe, this category shows promise.
Location-based and time-based:
The authentication system may use GPS coordinates, network parameters, and metadata for the network in use. And device identification for Multi-factor Authentication. Adaptive authentication combines these data points with historical or dependent user data.
These factors have the advantage of working in the background, requiring little input from users, meaning they don’t impede productivity. They are mostly suitable for large organizations that have the resources to manage them.
Time-Based One-Time Password (TOTP):
This is typically used in 2FA. But it may apply to any Multi-factor Authentication method where the second step is dynamically offered at login upon completion of the first step. Waiting for the second step–in which temporary passcodes are sent by SMS or email–is generally brief. This method is currently widely used.
On the operational side, two-factor authentication requires the use of software or an external vendor to provide the service. With the use of mobile devices as physical tokens, mobile networks can present their own security issues.
The security key is particularly a QR code that the user scans with a mobile device to generate a series of numbers. To gain access users then enter those numbers into the website or application. Passcodes expire after a certain period of time and generate a new password for the next time a user logs in to an account.
MFA in Cloud Computing
With the advent of cloud computing, MFA has become even more essential. As companies move their systems to the cloud, they cannot rely on a user physically being on the same network as a system as a security factor. It needs additional security to ensure that there are no bad actors accessing the system. Since users are accessing these systems at any time and from anywhere. Multi-factor Authentication prompts additional authentication factors that are easy for hackers to copy. It is more difficult to do or use brute force methods to crack.
Importance
The main benefit of MFA is to create a layered defense that makes it more difficult for an unauthorized person. It gives access to a target such as a physical location, computing device, network, or database. If one factor is compromised or broken, the attacker still has at least one or more barriers to breach before successfully penetrating the target.
In the past, MFA systems typically depend on two-factor authentication (2FA). Increasingly, vendors are using the multifactor tag to describe any authentication scheme. It requires two or more identity credentials to reduce the potential for cyberattacks. Multi-factor Authentication is a basic component of an identity and access management framework.
Benefits And Challenges
Benefits:
Better faith
The cost of hacking and phishing attacks can be high. Because MFA helps protect systems from unauthorized users–and their associated threats–the organization is more secure overall.
If organizations hesitate to ask users to adhere to tighter security. They should consider that users themselves–especially customers–may appreciate the added protection for their data. When customers trust a vendor’s security protections, they are more likely to trust the organization as a whole. Which means MFA becomes a significant competitive advantage.
Reduced cost
Successful defense against attacks can provide a return on investment that covers the expense of an MFA solution. For example, preventing a costly and damaging attack on network resources. Even without preventing attacks, MFA saves organizations money by allowing IT departments to locate sources to protect from various threats.
Easy login
MFA technology advances, and it becomes more user-friendly, making more use of passive methods such as biometrics and software tokens. Easy-to-use MFA processes help users log in more quickly, so employees can be more productive.
In e-commerce, login problems can mean lost sales. User-friendly MFA processes that improve user experience can help customers log in and therefore purchase products.
Challenges:
Adding security factors to MFA complicates the ease of use for users who must remember multiple passwords. As a result, the goal of MFA is to simplify MFA techniques for users. Here are three methods being used to simplify MFA:
- Adaptive MFA: It applies knowledge, business rules, or policies to user-based factors, such as devices or locations. For example, a corporate VPN knows it’s okay for a user to sign on from home because it sees the user’s location. And it can determine the risk of abuse or compromise. But an employee who uses a VPN from a coffee shop will trigger the system and need to enter MFA credentials.
- Single Sign-On (SSO): This one-stop authentication method permits users to keep one account. It automatically logs them into multiple applications or websites with the same ID and password. SSO works by establishing a user’s identity and then sharing this information with each application or system that needs it.
- Push Authentication: It is an automated mobile device authentication technology where the security system automatically issues a third, single-use identification code to the user’s mobile device. For example, users who want to access a secure system enter their user ID and password and a security system automatically issue a third, single-use identification code to their mobile device. Push Authentication simplifies MFA by providing users with a third code, removing the need to remember it.
About Us:
TriColor Initiative security is a leading provider of end-to-end cyber security services. Including advanced cyber security, applied cyber security solutions, and managed security operations. We bring security innovation with worldwide delivery capability through our network of advanced technology and intelligent operations centers. With the help of our team of highly skilled professionals, we enable clients to innovate securely, build cyber resilience and grow with confidence.
