2FA vs MFA – Key Differences Between Authentications

by | 09-06-2023

With the use of digital technology at an all-time high, the protection of online data has become extremely significant. With more than 100 social media platforms available, authentication of users is crucial to ensure unauthenticated users can’t access and misuse someone else’s personal information. As cyber criminals become more intelligent, single-factor authentication is no longer enough to save your data.

Most modern applications use two-factor authentication or, in some cases, multi-factor authentication to allow only authenticated and authorized users to log in. But the question remains, what is the key difference between two-factor (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA)? Read on to find out how 2FA and MFA vary from one another.

What Is Authentication?

When a security system decides whether or not a user trying to log in is legitimate and recognized, this process is called authentication. For example, if a legitimate user A attempts to log in to the system, he will have sufficient evidence (password, pin, security question, fingerprint) that he is indeed User A, and he will be provided access based on that evidence. On the contrary, malicious user B will be locked out of the system. This case study shows the importance of authentication in the protection of data.

The evidence that the user presents to authenticate himself is called a factor of authentication. There are three basic factors of authentication:

1) Knowledge

This authentication factor is basically something that the user knows. This is the most common factor in authentication, including verification through password and pin. Given its simplicity, this factor is the weakest link as hackers attempt to break into a system.

2) Possession

Possession refers to something the user owns, such as tokens, smart cards, and smartphones. Have you tried logging in to your Gmail account only to find that for verification, you have to select the number displayed on the screen on your smartphone? This is a classic example of possession in authentication.

what is authentication

3) Inheritance

Widely considered the strongest of three authentication factors, Inheritance involves an individual’s biometrics like fingerprint or facial recognition. Since a fingerprint is unique to each individual, it is close to impossible for an attacker to break into the system using an authenticated user’s biometrics.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) vs. Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, involves exactly two factors of authentication, while multi-factor authentication requires at least two factors, i.e., two or more authentication factors. This means every 2FA is MFA, but every MFA is not 2FA.

In 2FA, there is no restriction on the type of authentication factors to be included. This means that the factors in 2FA can be in the same category. For example, an application requiring an answer to a security question (knowledge) and password (knowledge) is a case study of two-factor authentication.

On the contrary, MFA involves factors that are independent of each other. This means even if MFA consists of only two factors, they cannot be of the same category. A system requiring a user to verify himself via biometric identification (inheritance) in addition to a security passcode (knowledge) is an example of multi-factor authentication.

Another key difference between these two authentication factors is that MFA is more secure than 2FA. The reason is that proving user identity through multiple checkpoints (MFA) instead of simply providing proof of your identity two times (2FA) provides much stronger security. Thus, 2FA and MFA, both are critical for protecting yourself on and off the internet.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving field of technology, cyber-attacks are a common threat vector. To prevent unauthenticated users from logging into a system or application, different types of authentication mechanisms are prevalent. This blog briefly explained two-factor and multi-factor authentication, highlighting the differences between them.

Recent Posts

Bun 1.0 released
Bun 1.0 Released as Fast Alternative to Node.js

The JavaScript toolkit Bun has recently announced its 1.0 release. Bun aims to provide a faster alternative to Node.js for running, building, testing, and debugging JavaScript and TypeScript.Created by Jarred Sumner, CEO of Oven, Bun is written in Zig and designed to eliminate the slowness and complexity that has accumulated in JavaScript tooling over time. […]

Adobe Announces the Launch of New AI Features
Adobe Announces the Launch of New AI Features

Embracing AI technology, Adobe has unveiled a host of revolutionary features. After months of rigorous testing and evaluating feedback, these AI generative features have been integrated into Adobe’s editing tools, including Photoshop. It is pertinent to mention that Adobe was testing features such as the ability to generate images from text for the previous six […]

Google Launches Generative AI in India and Japan
Google Launches Generative AI in India and Japan

In a cutting-edge development, Google has introduced the integration of generative AI to enhance the search experience for internet users. This announcement is in line with Google’s commitment to transform the way people search for information, displaying the most relevant and personalized information to the users. It’s pertinent to mention, however, that the search engine […]

Introduction to Code Llama
Meta Introduces Code Llama – A Powerful Large Language Model for Developers

Meta has recently unveiled an AI-powered tool specific for coding purposes. Code Llama, which is available to the general public in several versions, is a machine-learning system that has the ability to generate and explain code in natural language – particularly English. Code Llama, a large language model (LLM), uses text input to generate code. […]

Profile Picture

Muhammad Mustafa is an experienced content writer with expertise in SEO. With a background in Software Engineering, Mustafa combines his knowledge of various technology stacks with a passion for writing. Besides writing, he loves cricket and traveling.

Muhammad Mustafa

Related Posts

Alibaba Cloud Brings Llama 2 Model to China

Alibaba Cloud Brings Llama 2 Model to China

Alibaba Cloud has achieved a major landmark, becoming the first Chinese tech enterprise to adopt Llama 2 – an open-source large language model supported by Meta. Alibaba Cloud’s partnership with...
Google Launches Generative AI in India and Japan

Google Launches Generative AI in India and Japan

In a cutting-edge development, Google has introduced the integration of generative AI to enhance the search experience for internet users. This announcement is in line with Google’s commitment to...

Mobile App Development Cost in 2023 [Tips to Keep It Under Budget]

1st smartphone was launched in 1997 ever snice that time with the increasing demand of users and day to day updates in the technology smartphones have become a need, we feel incomplete without a...

IT Technologies Tech Trends to Follow in 2022

Why do you need to follow future tech trends? There are essentially these three motivations to focus closer on future innovative patterns. your rivals will utilize these patterns. If you would...

Why our clients
love us?

Our clients love us because we prioritize effective communication and are committed to delivering high-quality software solutions that meet the highest standards of excellence.

anton testimonial for ropstam solutions

“They met expectations with every aspect of design and development of the product, and we’ve seen an increase in downloads and monthly users.”

Anton Neugebauer, CEO, RealAdvice Agency
tariehk testimonial for ropstam solutions

“Willing to accommodate nonprofit budgets, Ropstam brought their robust experience to the project. They checked in consistently, and were communicative, easy to reach, and responsive.”

Tariehk, VP of Marketing.
mike stanzyk testimonial for ropstam solutions

“Their dedication to their clients is really impressive.  Ropstam Solutions Inc. communicates effectively with the client to ensure customer satisfaction.”

Mike Stanzyk, CEO, Stanzyk LLC

“Ropstam was an excellent partner in bringing our vision to life! They managed to strike the right balance between aesthetics and functionality, ensuring that the end product was not only visually appealing but also practical and usable.”

Jackie Philbin, Director - Nutrition for Longevity

Supercharge your software development with our expert team – get in touch today!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.