Definition
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) requires two or more independent authentication factors: something you know (password), something you have (hardware token, phone), something you are (biometric). MFA dramatically reduces account compromise rates - phishing, credential stuffing, and password reuse attacks all fail without the second factor. Common implementations: hardware FIDO2 keys (YubiKey), authenticator apps (Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator), push notifications, biometrics, SMS (weakest). Modern Zero Trust architectures require MFA universally - without it, the rest of the model is broken. Symantec VIP (Validation and ID Protection) is Broadcom's MFA platform: hardware tokens, soft tokens, push notifications, and risk-based authentication. See our VIP services page.
Related terms
- IAM (Identity and Access Management) - Discipline for managing digital identities, authentication, authorization, and access control across enterprise systems.
- SSO (Single Sign-On) - Authentication that lets a user log in once and access multiple applications without re-authenticating.
- Zero Trust - A security model based on "never trust, always verify" - every access request is authenticated, authorized, and encrypted regardless of network location.