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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Foundational

Authentication Factor

Category of evidence used to prove identity: something you know, have, or are, plus contextual attributes.

Definition

The three primary factors are knowledge (password, PIN), possession (token, smartphone, smart card), and inherence (biometrics). Attributes such as somewhere you are (location) and something you do (behavior) are often used as additional signals. Multifactor authentication requires factors from different categories.

Example

A smart card plus PIN combines possession and knowledge factors.

Exam tip

Two passwords or a password plus security question is still single-factor, since both are knowledge.

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