four factor authentication (4FA)

Four-factor authentication (4FA) is multi-factor authentication( MFA) that goes far beyond two-factor authentication( 2FA). 4FA authentication represents extremely high security requirements and supports a security paradigm that is not based solely on password-protected and biometric credentials.

The four factors of four-factor authentication include personal credentials such as username, password, or personal identification number( PIN); factors that secure logins such as one-time passwords( OTP) or a smartphone with an OTP app; biometric credentials ranging from fingerprints to facial recognition or voice recognition; and, as a fourth factor, location tracking, for example. Since most smartphones are equipped with a GPS system, this data can be transmitted directly with the login. The transmission of geodata makes sense in that it allows unrealistic changes in location over time to be detected. After all, the user cannot be in two different places at the same time.

More extensive multi-factor authentication, such as five-factor authentication (5FA), can use the user ID to verify the workplace.