Entity authentication

Entity authentication is the assurance that an entity is currently involved and active in a communication session. Traditionally, users are issued a username and password that is used to gain access to the various platforms with which they are working. This practice is known as single-factor authentication, as there is only one factor involved, namely, something you know, that is, the password and username. This type of authentication is not very secure for a variety of reasons, for example, password leakage; therefore, additional factors are now commonly used to provide better security. The use of additional techniques for user identification is known as multifactor authentication (or two-factor authentication if only two methods are used).

Various authentication factors are described here:

• The first factor is something you have, such as a hardware token or a smart card. In this case, a user can use a hardware token in addition to login credentials to gain access to a system. This mechanism protects the user by requiring two factors of authentication. A user who has access to the hardware token and knows the login credentials will be able to access the system. Both factors should be available to gain access to the system, thus making this method a two-factor authentication mechanism. In case if the hardware token is lost, on its own it won't be of any use unless, something you know, the login password is also used in conjunction with the hardware token.
• The second factor is something you are, which uses biometric features to identify the user. With this method, a user's fingerprint, retina, iris, or hand geometry is used to provide an additional factor for authentication. This way, it can be ensured that the user was indeed present during the authentication process, as biometric features are unique to every individual. However, careful implementation is required to guarantee a high level of security, as some research has suggested that biometric systems can be circumvented under specific conditions.