monitekijätunnistautumista

Monitekijätunnistautuminen, often abbreviated as MFA or 2FA, is a security process that requires a user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource such as an online account or a remote network. This method is designed to provide enhanced security compared to a single-factor authentication system, which typically relies on only one piece of evidence like a password.

The verification factors are generally categorized into three types: something the user knows (e.g., a password or PIN), something the user has (e.g., a smartphone with an authenticator app, a hardware token, or a SIM card), and something the user is (e.g., a fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scan). MFA requires the user to present at least two of these distinct factors.

For example, a common MFA setup might involve a user entering their password (something they know) and then providing a one-time code generated by an app on their smartphone (something they have). This layered approach makes it significantly harder for unauthorized individuals to gain access, even if they manage to compromise one of the authentication factors, such as stealing a password.

MFA is widely implemented across various online services, including banking, email, social media, and corporate networks, to protect sensitive data and user accounts from various cyber threats like phishing, credential stuffing, and brute-force attacks. Its adoption is considered a crucial step in modern cybersecurity practices.