Two-factor authentication (2FA) involves what?

Two-factor authentication (2FA) involves what?

• A. An authentication method requiring two distinct proofs of identity (e.g., password and a token).
• B. A single password.
• C. A single biometric.
• D. A network firewall.

Answer: (A)

Two-factor authentication requires presenting two separate proofs of identity from different categories, making unauthorized access harder. A typical setup pairs something you know (like a password) with something you have (such as a hardware token or a code from an authenticator app). This combination means you’d need both factors to log in, so even if one factor is compromised, the other still protects you. If only a single password is used, that’s just one factor, which is easier to breach. A single biometric is also one factor, so it doesn’t meet the two-factor requirement by itself. And a network firewall isn’t an authentication method for a user; it’s a security boundary that blocks or allows traffic, not a process of proving who you are with two proofs.

Two-factor authentication requires presenting two separate proofs of identity from different categories, making unauthorized access harder. A typical setup pairs something you know (like a password) with something you have (such as a hardware token or a code from an authenticator app). This combination means you’d need both factors to log in, so even if one factor is compromised, the other still protects you.

If only a single password is used, that’s just one factor, which is easier to breach. A single biometric is also one factor, so it doesn’t meet the two-factor requirement by itself. And a network firewall isn’t an authentication method for a user; it’s a security boundary that blocks or allows traffic, not a process of proving who you are with two proofs.