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
But the company nonetheless reset users’ passwords and is implementing two-factor authentication on all user accounts.
—
Andy Greenberg Andrew Couts, WIRED, 13 Apr. 2024
For example, a hacker might call a company’s help desk, pretending to be an employee, and ask to reset their two-factor authentication.
—Nick Rockel, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Then sign up for 24-7 credit monitoring and enable two-factor authentication on your AT&T account, said WalletHub CEO Odysseas Papadimitriou, a former senior director at Capital One.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
The two also emphasized best practices, like two-factor authentication and limiting users’ and admins’ system privileges to minimize the possibility that attackers can compromise and exploit accounts in the first place.
—WIRED, 10 Nov. 2023
The most common form of two-factor authentication — or 2FA — relies on text messages.
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
The grounds for account deletion are security-based, with older, dormant, accounts being far more likely to get compromised due to poor password protection and lack of two-factor authentication.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
People have become deeply reliant on their cell phones for keeping in touch with work and family, getting directions, accessing the internet and doing two-factor authentication for website logins — not to mention more serious tasks like calling for help when in danger.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
Without cell phones, people might not be able to use two-factor authentication to get into email and other accounts.
—USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Andy Greenberg Andrew Couts, WIRED, 13 Apr. 2024
For example, a hacker might call a company’s help desk, pretending to be an employee, and ask to reset their two-factor authentication.
—Nick Rockel, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Then sign up for 24-7 credit monitoring and enable two-factor authentication on your AT&T account, said WalletHub CEO Odysseas Papadimitriou, a former senior director at Capital One.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
The two also emphasized best practices, like two-factor authentication and limiting users’ and admins’ system privileges to minimize the possibility that attackers can compromise and exploit accounts in the first place.
—WIRED, 10 Nov. 2023
The most common form of two-factor authentication — or 2FA — relies on text messages.
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
The grounds for account deletion are security-based, with older, dormant, accounts being far more likely to get compromised due to poor password protection and lack of two-factor authentication.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
People have become deeply reliant on their cell phones for keeping in touch with work and family, getting directions, accessing the internet and doing two-factor authentication for website logins — not to mention more serious tasks like calling for help when in danger.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
Without cell phones, people might not be able to use two-factor authentication to get into email and other accounts.
—USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near two-factor authentication
Cite this Entry
“Two-factor authentication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-factor%20authentication. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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