two-factor authentication

noun

two-fac·tor authentication ˈtü-ˈfak-tər-

: a method of verifying the identity of a person (as for granting access to a system) by requiring a password and an additional form of authorization (such as a code, a fingerprint, or a smartphone app)

—abbreviation 2FA compare multi-factor authentication

Examples of two-factor authentication in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Apple adds that its own support representatives will never send its users a link to a website and ask them to sign in, or to provide your password, device passcode, or two-factor authentication code. —

Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 8 July 2024 Microsoft will begin requiring employees to verify their identities and use two-factor authentication when logging into their work phones. —

Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 9 July 2024 Secure your devices and accounts: Use strong, unique passwords for all your online accounts and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. —

Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 8 June 2024 The tips include picking a strong password and not sharing it across platforms, keeping an eye out for malicious software, and using two-factor authentication on Facebook and Instagram accounts. —

Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 6 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for two-factor authentication

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'two-factor authentication.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1990, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of two-factor authentication was in 1990

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Two-factor authentication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-factor%20authentication. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

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