MFA with WSO2 Identity Server.

What is MFA?

MFA means Multi Factor Authentication. It is a security system that verifies a user’s identity by requiring multiple credentials. Rather than just asking for a username and password (We called this what you know), MFA requires some other additional credential normally from something you have or some thing you are.

What is Something you have and something you are? Does it sense anything? I guess no. Let me explain.

I’m gonna explain it with an example, let’s take a mobile phone, that’s something you have right. So if you receive an OTP to your mobile phone after you successfully enter your username and password as the second step of authentication, now you are providing credentials from something you have. So that something you have(which is also called possession factor) is a category of user authentication credentials based on items that the user has with them, typically a hardware device such as a security token or a mobile phone used in conjunction with a software token.

Let’s take you to provide the fingerprint of yours as the second step of your authentication, now you are providing credentials with who you are. so that Something you are(which is also called inherence factor) category of user authentication credentials consisting of elements that are integral to the individual in question, in the form of biometric data.

But why we need MFA? The simplest answer I can give to this is asking you a question. how many passwords are you repeating between multiple services? and what if that password got slipped from one source. How many of your services will be in danger? Then comes MFA which can stop it in such cases. So I strongly believe that one of the best ways to protect your services is to activate MFA which is now provided by Lots of services.

Now you know What is MFA and why we need MFA. Then why we need the WSO2 Identity server for MFA? Here are my reasons for you to use the WSO2 Identity Server for your product.

WSO2 Identity Server has comprehensive support for multi-factor authentication, with authenticators available for SMSOTP, FIDO, MEPin, and so many other authenticators. (for a complete list on the readily available authenticators, click here).

You can set up the steps according to your preference and another best thing is you could do it with your eyes shut.

WSO2 Identity Server not only provides 2FA (2 Factor Authentication) you could set up 3FA or more as well as your preference.

WSO2 Identity Server has very good documentation with the product as well. Click here to read the documentation on MFA which is provided by the WSO2 Identity Server.

Not only on the MFA WSO2 Identity Server has so many other features as well. So I strongly recommend you to go for WSO2 Identity Server if you are looking for a product for Identity and access management.

More Features Of WSO2 Identity Server will be discussed. I am looking forward to see you again soon with my next article. Have a Good Day!!

Reference — WSO2 Documentation