Multifactor Autentification

Introduction:

The main purpose of this paper is to define what Is Multifactor Authentication, and the basic characteristics that define this class of authentication from others. Through this paper I will try to establish the importance of utilizing Multifactor Authentication versus other mechanisms of authentication, the different categories of factors of authentication, and some of the mostcommon used mechanisms of authentication identified by their respective categories. In addition, I have included various examples of how some of these methods of authentication can be utilized.
 
Multifactor Authentication:
Understanding Multifactor Authentication:

In order to talk about Multifactor Authentication it is important to understand first some of the basic components ofauthentication. Authentication systems are usually identified by the numbers of authentication factors that are incorporated in the authentication process. The basic foundation of authentication can be defined by these three factors:
• Something you know (e.g. PIN Numbers (Personal Identification Numbers), Passwords)
• Something you have (e.g. Smart cards, Cryptographic keys/Tokens)
• Something you are(e.g. Fingerprints, Retina Scans, other Biometrics)
In the past authentication mechanisms implemented Single-Factor Authentication. This method of authentication usually utilized factors like PIN numbers, and Passwords. Common PIN numbers (4-digits) only allowed for the use of passwords from 0000-9999. Passwords are stronger than PIN numbers, but they rely on the ability of the user of selectinga strong password, and commit it to memory. PIN did not have a big range from which users were able to select their PIN. In addition, in both cases users have the tendency of selecting PIN numbers or passwords that were easy to remember, and therefore easy to obtain such as “1234” or “password.1”. As technology innovation, and new attack methods of attack render Single-Factor Authenticationinadequate, Two-Factor Authentication emerged as a new method of authentication. In this new method two different factors of authentication are used, however each factor must belong to a different pool of the factors authentication. A common example of this could be the utilization of a password (“something you know”), and Smartcard (“Something you have”) combined as mechanisms for authentication in asystem.
Two-Factor Authentication is a common method of authentication that is still in use today, but only uses two of the three factors of authentication. We must consider that attackers are constantly looking for new ways to overcome authentication mechanism, and even when two factor authentications is a strong authentication mechanism that is still in use today, it is not the strongest ofall.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued in December 2003 a memorandum (M-04-04) titled E-Authentication Guidance for Federal Agencies. In this memorandum the NIST required federal agencies to review their electronic transactions, and required e-authentication. Multifactor Authentication incorporates the usage of factors from each of the factors of authenticationpool
According to the NIST memorandum (2003), “authentication systems that incorporate all three factors are stronger than systems that incorporate only one or two of the factor; the system may be implemented so that multiple factors are presented to the verifier, or some factors may be used to protect a secret that will be presented to the verifier”. This statement from NIST establishing that theuse of multiple factors provides a stronger method of authentication than using a single or two factors of authentication encourage us to better understand this subject.
Factors and Mechanisms of Multifactor Authentication:

There are several factors on each of the groups of common factor of authentication that we can utilized to achieve multifactor authentication. When only one category of...