{"id":102793,"date":"2025-02-09T12:11:56","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T04:11:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/version-2.com\/?p=102793"},"modified":"2025-01-28T12:15:37","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T04:15:37","slug":"multi-factor-authentication-the-ins-and-outs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/version-2.com\/en\/2025\/02\/multi-factor-authentication-the-ins-and-outs\/","title":{"rendered":"Multi-factor authentication: the ins and outs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?<\/b><\/h2>

Multi-factor authentication, also referred to as \u201cmulti-step authentication\u201d by some experts, is an access management component that requires users to provide two or more authentication factors to log in and access an account. Essentially, users must provide extra proof of identity besides their username and password. Think of MFA as an extra lock on your door.<\/p>

Unfortunately, misconceptions about MFA exist: they\u2019re especially prevalent in the business world and often deter users from using it and taking advantage of its security. Organizations tend to think that mandating multi-factor authentication in the IT infrastructure for the entire company is cumbersome and could be counterproductive.<\/p>

The reality of the matter is actually the opposite: with today\u2019s security technologies, setting up MFA company-wide is quick and causes practically no interruptions. Once it\u2019s done, the benefits that MFA brings to the table far outweigh any possible inconveniences that a company might face during the implementation.<\/p>

How does MFA work?<\/b><\/h2>

Multi-factor authentication employs various technologies, like one-time passwords, tokens, and biometrics, to authenticate users when they try to access their accounts. First, the user enters their username or email and their password. But besides these credentials, and with MFA switched on, the user is also asked to authenticate their identity using their selected secondary verification method. Once the two factors are authenticated, the user is granted access to their account.<\/p>

One of the most popular MFA factors is known as one-time passwords (OTPs)<\/a>. They\u2019re security codes that can be used only once to authenticate a login attempt. A one-time password is usually 4\u20138 digits long and can be valid for anywhere between 15 seconds and a few hours. When a user attempts to log in, a one-time password is sent via text message or email for authentication. OTPs can also be generated using an authentication app, like NordPass\u2019 built-in Authenticator<\/a>.<\/p>

As you set up multi-factor authentication, your one-time password will be generated in one of two ways: either as a time-based one-time password (TOTP) or a hash-based one-time password (HOTP). Their core difference is how frequently a new code is generated. An authentication app refreshes a TOTP at a set interval (for example, every 30 seconds), while a HOTP only refreshes upon a new login attempt.<\/p>

One-time passwords rely on two factors\u2014a seed and a moving factor. The seed is a static secret key that stays on the server side, while the moving factor is affected by the counter, which ensures the periodical generation of new passwords. The process of generating a one-time password is randomized, and the number of OTPs that can be generated is practically limitless.<\/p>

The process of multi-factor authentication takes 3 steps:<\/p>