Also known as 2FA, Two-Factor Authentication is the procedure of requiring two steps in credentialing for the user to prove their identity and gain access to company data or an online account.

The second factor could come from one of the following categories:

• Something you know: This could be a personal identification number (PIN), a password, answers to “secret questions” or a specific keystroke pattern.
• Something you have: Typically, a user would have something in their possession, like a credit card, a smartphone, or a small hardware token.
• Something you are: This category is more advanced, and might include biometric pattern of a fingerprint, an iris scan, or a voice print.

Two-Factor Authentication provides a higher level of security than authentication methods that depend on Single-Factor Authentication (SFA), in which the user provides only one factor — typically, a password or passcode.

For example, a user might first be asked to enter their username and password. Then, instead of immediately gaining access, they’d be required to provide another piece of information — such as a unique, time-based login code texted to their phone. Since a criminal is much less likely to have access to the information needed for both steps, Two-Factor Authentication reduces the risk of a breach.

Are you interested in using Two-Factor Authentication at your business? Most common enterprise email servers like Microsoft 365 and Gmail offer help to facilitate the setup process. You can also authorize this security feature on operating systems such as MacOS and Windows.