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Multi-Factor-Authentication

Traditionally, whenever your customers sign in their online accounts they have to prove through their username and password to the service that ‘they are who they are.’ This is done by a process called ‘Authentication’. To their dismay that’s not a very safe way to go for authentication as usernames are often easy to explore. At times customers have the proclivity to just use their name as complicated password can be hard to remember, people tend to choose the simple ones or same password at many different sites. That’s why almost all online services – banks, insurance, social media, ecommerce etc  – have added a way for the customer’s accounts to be more secure. This is done either as a “Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)” or “Multifactor Authentication (MFA)” but all the good ones operate off the same principle. When the customer signs into their account for the first time on an app he/she needs more than just the username and password. The customer needs a second thing (like OTP, Captcha, or finger print etc) – what is called a second “factor” – to prove who they are.

 

A factor in authentication is a way of confirming customers’ identity when they try to sign in. For example, a password is one kind of factor, it’s a thing that your customer know. The three most common kinds of factors are:

 

Something he/she knows – Like a password, or a memorized PIN.

Something he/she has – Like a smartphone, or a secure USB key.

Something he/she is – Like a fingerprint, or facial recognition.

How Does Multi-Factor Authentication Work?

 

Suppose a customer is going to sign into his/her work account, and enters the username and password for the same. If that’s all the customer need then anybody who knows the username and password can sign in as him/her from anywhere in the world.

 

But if the customer’s multifactor authentication is enabled, things get more interesting. The first time he/she signs in on a app or device by entering his/her username and password as usual, then he/she gets prompted to enter his/her second factor to verify identity. 

 

The OTP is used as a second factor for authentication. Once the customer will open the app on his/her smartphone, a unique dynamic 6-digit number is sent to him/her through SMS or email that the customer type into the site and gets in.

 

 

 

If some other person tries to sign in, however, that person will enter the customer’s username and password, and gets prompted for that second factor, then that person is stuck. Unless they have the customer’s smartphone or email account, they have no way of getting that 6-digit number to enter. Generally, this 6-digit number has time validity and expires in multiples of 30 seconds. So, even if that person knew the number that was used to sign in on a given day, they’re still locked out.

 

 

 

Important Things to Know About MFA

 

Some people worry that MFA is going to be really inconvenient, but generally it’s only used the first time a customer signs into an app, or the first time he/she signs in after changing the password. After that you’ll just need your primary factor, usually a password.

 

The extra security comes from the fact that when somebody other than the customer tries to break into the customer’s account, probably not using his/her device, a need to have that second factor arise.

 

Presently, MFA is almost used by every online service or transaction that a customer does from bank to personal email to social media accounts as compromised passwords are one of the most common ways for data breach and cheat on your customer data, identity, or money. By using MFA, data breach is made exhausting/harder for them.

 

What to Consider While Purchasing a MFA Platform?

 

For selecting the right MFA platform businesses must consider following key factors to ensure that the platform meets their security requirements and can be well integrated with their existing processes:

 

Security: Enhanced and robust security is the primary reason to implement a MFA platform. So, while selecting a MFA platform, businesses should look into either for token-based authentication, smart card-based authentication, or biometric authentication.

Adaptability: The MFA platform must be adaptable with the enterprise existing IT infrastructure.

Customer Experience: The MFA platform must be easy to use and provide an enhanced and seamless experience to the customers.

Integration and Scalability: The MFA platform should be able to seamlessly integrate with business applications and services and scale up and handle a large number of users and authentication requests.

Compliance: The MFA should comply with industry standards.

Cost & Efficiency: The MFA platform should offer cost-effective and efficient solutions.

Explore a comprehensive MFA platform, AUTHENTRICA that is simple, flexible, robust, reliable, secured and scalable. It also ensures the security and integrity of authentication data for businesses via encryption, secured communication channels, and audit logs. Not to miss its cost effective and guaranteed authentication-token delivery.

 

Connect with our team of experts by asking for a DEMO.

Multi-Factor-Authentication

. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of MFA in various industries, including finance, healthcare, and e-commerce, among others. Two common methods used for MFA are One-Time Password (OTP) SMS and Flash Calls. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of each method.

OTP SMS

OTP SMS involves sending a unique code to a user's mobile phone via SMS. The user then enters the code into the system to authenticate their identity. Here are some pros and cons of using OTP SMS for MFA:

Pros:

  • It is widely adopted and easy to use.
  • It works on any mobile phone that can receive SMS messages.
  • It can be used even in areas with poor network coverage.
  • It does not require any additional hardware.

Cons:

  • SMS messages can be intercepted by attackers, compromising security.
  • SMS messages can be delayed or not delivered at all, causing inconvenience to users.
  • SMS messages can be deleted accidentally or automatically, making it difficult for users to authenticate.
  • It may require additional charges for users who are traveling internationally.

Flash Calls

Flash calls involve sending a unique code to a user's mobile phone via a missed call. The user's mobile phone automatically detects the missed call and displays the code on the screen. The user then enters the code into the system to authenticate their identity. Here are some pros and cons of using Flash Calls for MFA:

Pros:

  • It is faster and more convenient than OTP SMS.
  • It does not require users to have a network connection or data plan.
  • It provides an additional layer of security as the code is not transmitted over the network.
  • It does not require any additional hardware.

 

Cons:

  • It is not as widely adopted as OTP SMS, making it difficult for some users to use.
  • It may not work on all mobile phones, particularly older models.
  • It may not work in areas with poor network coverage.
  • It may require additional charges for users who are traveling internationally.

Conclusion

Both OTP SMS and Flash Calls are effective methods for MFA, and the choice of which to use depends on the specific needs of the organization and the preferences of the users. OTP SMS is more widely adopted and works on any mobile phone that can receive SMS messages. However, it can be intercepted by attackers and may not be as convenient for some users. Flash Calls, on the other hand, are faster and more convenient, but may not work on all mobile phones and in areas with poor network coverage. Ultimately, organizations should consider the strengths and weaknesses of each method when deciding which one to use for their MFA system.

Considering the following traditional OTP delivery challenges:

 

  • Authentication Failures due to wrong password, non-delivery of OTP, entry of wrong OTP or abandonment.

 

  • Drop Offs due to network failures, redirection failures, or disconnected text failure.

Our flexible, reliable, robust, secured and scalable MFA Platform, AUTHENTRICA, will surely prove advantageous for your users’ authentication purpose. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with your security stack without any change in your enterprise process. Our platform also offers cost minimisation and delivery maximisation. 

So, why wait, verify your users’ identities in seconds, protect any application on any device, from anywhere and add AUTHENTRICA to any network environment. 

Let your communication needs get stronger. Book a DEMO today.

Multi-Factor-Authentication

Flash calls is a seamless and cost-effective way of authenticating or validating user’s mobile numbers. It is a type of multi factor authentication that is similar to OTP sent via SMS. It covers more use cases, including appointment booking, online payment, and even public Wi-Fi connections.

 

According to Juniper Research, flash calls as authentication factor will grow from 60 million in 2021 to 130 billion in 2026.

 

Explore how they exactly work and what network operators need to do to ensure they are fairly compensating for the role they play.

 

About Flash Call

 

A Flash call is a near-instant dropped call that is automatically placed to a mobile number, usually as part of an authentication process known as Flash call verification. 

 

The relevant numbers assigned in the incoming calls’ numbers are used for authentication for the user’s identity. 

 

By default, there is no termination fee charge for the call as it is answered and is simply recorded as a missed call in the phone’s log.

 

Working of Flash Call Verification

 

Flash call verification leverages mobile voice networks to authenticate a user or transaction via an originating phone number. The last couple of digits of the originating phone number are parsed automatically for authentication, rather than a user feeding a code manually that was delivered by SMS.

 

It is used when a mobile user is registering for a service, installing an app, or doing anything that require them to provide a valid mobile phone number to complete the process.

 

Unlike most conventional 2FA solutions that require the person to sometimes manually feed a code that is sent to them by SMS, the process uses some of the digits from the incoming calling number as the passcode. 

 

This is all done using secured APIs, so the customer doesn’t have to do anything and will be notified almost immediately that the verification process has been successful.

 

Benefits Of Flash Call verification

 

Flash call verification does not require any action on the part of the customers as well as its potentially cheaper cost that can slightly aid in savings for the businesses. 

It’s an emerging form of authentication and like SMS, no internet and no smart phone needed. Just a plain old feature phone. Not to miss it is quicker than SMS.

Flash Call feature provides:

  • Upgrade security solutions: Flash calls can be considered an upgrade to traditional SMS-based authentication methods, as they offer a more secure and reliable way to authenticate users' phone numbers.
  • Integration with other authentication systems: Flash calls can be integrated with other authentication systems that provide real-time analytics to monitor and analyse user behaviour.
  • Create transparency: Flash calls can help create transparency in the authentication process by providing a clear and verifiable record of user activity.
  • Flexible and scalable solutions: Flash calls offer a quick and easy way for users to authenticate their phone numbers without the need to manually enter a code. Also, they can be easily scaled to accommodate large numbers of users, making them a convenient and cost-effective option for businesses and organizations.

At CERF we have started journey with our state-of-the-art Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Platform, AUTHENTRICA, that will provide our stakeholders the benefits of harnessing and utilizing the power of Flash Call for the purpose of verification or authentication of user’s identity.

So, explore AUTHENTRICA our reliable, robust, secured and scalable MFA for verification solutions through secured APIs and combine Flash call verification with other factors to ensure sure short OTP delivery, reduced OTP delivery cost and increase in conversions.

 

Multi-Factor-Authentication

SMS (Short Message Service) is a popular channel for delivering authentication tokens in multi-factor authentication (MFA) systems. SMS-based MFA involves sending a one-time password (OTP) to a user's mobile device, which they must enter to complete the authentication process. In this blog, we'll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using SMS as an authentication token delivery channel.

In multi-factor authentication (MFA) systems, SMS (Short Message Service) is a popular method for the delivering of authentication tokens. One-time passwords (OTPs) are sent via SMS to a user's mobile device, which they must enter to complete the authentication process. In this blog we will cover the advantages and disadvantages of using SMS as a delivery method for authentication tokens.

Advantages of SMS-based MFA:

Wide Reach: SMS-based MFA is accessible to most mobile phone users, regardless of their device's make or model. This makes it a popular choice for organizations that need to authenticate a broad user base.

User-Friendly: SMS-based MFA is easy to use and requires minimal user training. Users simply need to have access to their mobile device to receive the OTP.

Fast Delivery: SMS-based MFA delivers OTPs almost instantly, which is important for time-sensitive transactions.

Low Cost: Compared to other MFA delivery methods, SMS-based MFA is relatively low cost, making it an attractive option for organizations that need to authenticate a large number of users.

Disadvantages of SMS-based MFA:

Security Risks: SMS-based MFA is vulnerable to SIM swap attacks, where an attacker convinces a mobile carrier to transfer a user's phone number to a new SIM card. Once the attacker has control of the user's phone number, they can intercept OTPs and gain unauthorized access to the user's account.

SMS Delivery Issues: SMS-based MFA can be affected by network coverage issues or mobile carrier restrictions, which can delay or prevent OTP delivery.

User Error: SMS-based MFA is vulnerable to user error, such as users accidentally deleting OTPs or mistyping them during the authentication process.

Lack of Flexibility: SMS-based MFA provides limited flexibility in terms of the length and complexity of OTPs that can be delivered. This can limit the overall security of the MFA system.

Conclusion

Though SMS-based MFA is a popular choice for authentication token delivery, yet it is important for organizations to consider the security risks and disadvantages of this method. Organizations that use SMS-based MFA should take steps to mitigate the risks of SIM swap attacks, such as using anti-fraud controls or implementing additional authentication factors. Additionally, organizations should have backup authentication methods in place in case SMS-based MFA delivery fails. Overall, SMS-based MFA can be an effective and low-cost authentication method when used in combination with other MFA delivery channels and security controls.

Explore CERF’s AUTHENTRICA, a multi-factor authentication platform, and experience authentication beyond text messaging.

Request a DEMO