Multi Factor Authentication, also called strong authentication, involves the use of two or more authentication factors. The generally accepted rule1 is that multi factor authentication requires the use of identity factors from at least two of the three factor categories:
- personal - something you know
- technical - something you have
- human - something you are.
The 14 identity attributes captured and consumed by Delfigo's DSGateway's decision engine cover authentication factors from each of the three factor categories:
Personal: Login Credentials in the form of username/password Technical: Device ID (agent, operating system, monitor resolution, browser type, browsers size, timestamp, IP address, location, hostname, proxy IP) Human: Keystroke Biometric (flight time, dwell time, key-to-key, reflective time)
Additional Resources:
- How To Choose Multifactor Authentication
- Gartner Warns of Two Factor Vulnerabilities
- Kuppinger/Cole- Strong Authentication
- Computer Dictionary Definition
- IAMBlog - Strong Authentication
1. Authentication in an Internet Banking Environment, Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, August 15, 2006. "By definition true multifactor authentication requires the use of solutions from two or more of the three categories of factors. Using multiple solutions from the same category would not constitute multifactor authentication."