MFA: a key element of trust

Along with digital identity, authentication is one of the pillars of digital trust. It involves certifying the identity of a person or machine so they can access a service or resource. Let’s take a look at the different simple or strong authentication factors, means and methods.

Authentication methods

Once the factors and means have been defined, a method needs to be chosen. This is the framework for determining whether it has been successful and whether access is authorized or denied.

An authentication method takes different criteria into account such as:

- The means to be validated
- The coordinated or consecutive presentation of means
- Whether or not it is possible to provide a mean other than the one requested
- The allowed number of failed authentications
- The maximum number of means of authentication changed in a row.

It is essential to consider authentication factors, means and methods in relation to business needs and security or regulatory challenges in order to define and design a strong system that is both robust and smooth for users.