What are the factors of Authentication in Information Security?


Authentication is the procedure of recognizing someone's identity by acceptable that the person is the similar as what it is claiming for. It can be used by both server and client.

The server needs authentication when someone needs to access the data, and the server required to understand who is accessing the data. The client uses it when it require to understand that it is the similar server that it claims to be.

There are various factors of Authentication which are as follows −

Knowledge Factor − The knowledge factor verifies identity by requesting data only a single user would know. The typical instance of a knowledge factor of authentication is a password. A user’s password must be private only to them, enabling them to use it as an approach to validate their identity.

Possession Factor − Possession factors check the identity of a user by needing proof of data that only the user must possess. Tokens are a frequently used possession factor of authentication. These tokens creates a rotating passcode that users should physically take on their person.

In Possession factor, Duo Mobile integrate the knowledge factor and possession factor of authentication to make the world’s most trusted 2FA platform. There are two other possession factors of authentication are HMAC-based One-Time Password (HOTP) and Time-based One-time Password (TOTP).

Both authentication approach creates temporary passwords from a physical device carried by the user. HOTP tokens expire because they are used while TOTP tokens expire if not utilized within thirty seconds.

Time Factor − Time factors of authentication checks the identity of a user by impressive the time of the access attempt. This depends on the assumption that specific behaviors (like logging into a work computer) should appear within predictable time ranges. If an attempt to access a platform appear external of the constant time range, the attempt can be challenged or eliminated until a user can check their identity.

Inherence Factor − Inherence factors of authentication check the identity of a user by utilizing attributes that can belong only to that user. Fingerprint scanning is the most apparent inherence factor utilized today.

Fingerprints are unique to individuals, so some organizations use them as a method to prove who their users are. Moreover fingerprints, there are some other inherence factors used today such as voice, handprints, face recognition, and more.

Location Factor − Location factors of authentication validate the identity of a user based on their areas in the world. If a customer had recorded an account in one country.

For example, if there are login attempts from another, location factors can trigger and attempt to test the identity of the new user. Some location factors are based on the IP address of the original user and correlate the address to that of the new attempt to access data.

Updated on: 10-Mar-2022

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