Multifactor authentication

(Known in English as "Multifactor Authentication").

Multifactor authentication is a security method that uses multiple identification factors to confirm user identity and prevent unauthorized access.

Multifactor authentication

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is an advanced payment security measure. It requires the user to provide multiple identification factors to authenticate themselves. These factors can come from different categories, such as knowledge (password, PIN), possession (smartphone, token), and biometrics (fingerprint, facial recognition). Combining multiple factors increases security and minimizes the risk of data misuse.

Multifactor authentication is often used in payment scenarios to ensure that only authorized persons have access to sensitive payment data. This helps prevent fraud and unauthorized transactions.

Multifactor authentication examples

A customer uses his credit card online and, in addition to the password, must also enter a one-time code that is sent to him by SMS.

When making a bank transfer, the customer must scan a fingerprint on their smartphone in addition to their password to confirm the transaction.

An online merchant uses multifactor authentication to ensure that only the account holder can authorize payments.

Multifactor Authentication FAQ

  • Multifactor authentication is proving to be an essential tool for strengthening the security of payment transactions. By incorporating multiple layers of authentication, it significantly minimizes fraud risks and protects users' sensitive data from unauthorized access. This multi-layered security structure helps to increase users' confidence in payment transactions and ensure the protection of their financial integrity.

  • The use of multifactor authentication varies depending on the implementation. In many cases, however, it can be user-friendly and straightforward. Especially since many users are already familiar with biometric technologies such as fingerprint or facial recognition, authentication is intuitive. This makes the process easier for users and ensures that increased security does not come at the expense of user-friendliness.

  • Multifactor authentication draws on a wide range of identification factors to ensure comprehensive security. These include knowledge factors such as passwords or PINs, possession factors such as smartphones or tokens, and biometric features such as fingerprint or facial recognition. The combination of these different factors increases resistance to unauthorized access and contributes to a robust security architecture.

  • Yes, multifactor authentication is also proving its worth on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. As a rule, biometric features such as fingerprint or facial recognition are used on these devices to ensure secure and convenient authentication. The integration of multifactor authentication on mobile devices illustrates the adaptability of this security measure to modern technologies and usage habits.