Two-Factor Authentication

Authentication answers the question, "Who are you?" You, in this case, would be either a human being or some other computing entity such as a router or web server. Answering this question requires some form of proof. The relative strength of this proof and the practicality in implementation are the two key issues that must be addressed. Authentication is essential to security and knowing who or what you are interacting with strikes at the core of security.

At one end of the spectrum we have the traditional username/password; on the other, stronger, but more complex end of the spectrum, we have tokens, smart cards and biometrics. Authentication proof can be defined in terms of these three components:

What you know (username/password)
What you have (smart card)
What you are (fingerprint)

So-called two factor authentication uses two of these components, typically the first two. As you would expect, three-factor security leverages all three of them, and one-factor only one. A password alone would be a one-factor solution. A smart card used in conjunction with a password is a two-factor solution. ZyEdge can provide you with the solutions you need to address two-factor authentication requirements, including remote VPN access.