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Multi-factor authentication

nounid 3303·updated Aug 28, 2026
verified

Authentication using two or more different factors to achieve authentication. Factors include something you know (e.g., PIN, password), something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token), or something you are (e.g., biometric). See authenticator .

MWE

Attested in

NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 - Protecting CUI in Nonfederal Systems6 citations · 6 defined by this document · observed 2026-09-01 under anchor/0.9/36451/2026-09-01
03.05.0303.05.03 ¶ 103.05.03 ¶ 203.05.07.f ¶ 103.07.05.b3.2.2 ¶ 99

Classifications

Entity Type

Control0%rule-basedmulti_axis_classifier_low_confidence.v1

Sensitivity

85%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5

Information Class

90%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5

Variants

synonym
multi-factor authentication
alternatephrasing
multifactor authentication
plural
Multi-factor authenticationsmultifactor authentications
possessive
Multi-factor authentication'smultifactor authentication's
pluralpossessive
Multi-factor authentications'multifactor authentications'

Framework definitions

ISACA Cybersecurity Glossary1 senseview framework →
§1
A combination of more than one authentication method, such as token and password (or personal identification number [PIN] or token and biometric device).
FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool, Baseline, May 20171 senseview framework →
§1
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: • something you know (e.g. password/PIN); • something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or • something you are (e.g., biometric).
NY DFS Part 500 (NYCRR Title 23, Chapter 1, Part 500)1 senseview framework →
§1
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: • something you know (e.g. password/PIN); • something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or • something you are (e.g., biometric).
NERC CIP-005-5 (Electronic Security Perimeters) v51 senseview framework →
§1
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: • something you know (e.g. password/PIN); • something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or • something you are (e.g., biometric).
NERC CIP-010-2 (Config Change Management & Vulnerability) v21 senseview framework →
§1
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: • something you know (e.g. password/PIN); • something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or • something you are (e.g., biometric).
Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) IT Examination Handbook Infobase, Glossary1 senseview framework →
§1
The process of using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include something you know (e.g., password or personal identification number); something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device or token); and something you are (e.g., biometric).
NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 21 senseview framework →
§1
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: (i) something you know (e.g. password/PIN); (ii) something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or (iii) something you are (e.g., biometric). See Authenticator.
NIST SP 800-531 senseview framework →
§1
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: (i) something you know (e.g. password/PIN); (ii) something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or (iii) something you are (e.g., biometric). See Authenticator.
NIST SP 800-171r31 senseview framework →
§1 · glossary
Authentication using two or more different factors to achieve authentication. Factors include something you know (e.g., PIN, password), something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token), or something you are (e.g., biometric). See authenticator .
Attribution from the CKI glossary mapping stage (glossary)
Legacy lexicon import1 senseview framework →
§1 · legacy_primary
The process of using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include something you know (e.g., password or personal identification number); something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device or token); and something you are (e.g., biometric).
DR-088 backfill from the noun definition column

Outgoing relationships

No outgoing triples
This term is not the subject of any RDF-style relationship yet.

Incoming relationships

No incoming triples
No other term currently asserts a relationship to this one.