This type of authentication verifies a user’s geolocation, which points to where they currently are, and their geovelocity, which is the reasonable amount of time it takes for a person to travel to a given location. Usually, these authentication methods do not require a user to actively authenticate this information, instead, this runs in the background when determining a specific user’s authentication risk. This form of authentication is commonly used in risk-based authentication software. It considers a user’s geographic location and the time it took for them to get there.

Location: The location factor requires users to authenticate with where they are and when.

Other biometric authentication methods, such as ear shape recognition, voiceprints, retina scans, iris scans, DNA, odor identity, gait patterns, vein patterns, handwriting and signature analysis, and typing recognition, have not yet been widely commercialized for authentication purposes.

Using biometric authentication software is becoming increasingly common as biometric logins on mobile devices, including facial recognition software and fingerprint scanning capabilities, have gained in popularity among consumers. Biometric authentication can include fingerprint scans, finger geometry, palm print or hand geometry scans, and facial prints. It takes into account something unique to the user, such as biometric factors.

Inherence: This requires users to authenticate with what they are.

The code provided can be either an HMAC-based one-time password (HOTP) that does not expire until used or a time-based one-time password (TOTP) that expires in 30 seconds. Users have to provide the information they have, usually, a code provided by an authenticator app on their mobile devices, SMS or text message, software token (soft token), or hardware token (hard token).

Possession: This authentication factor requires users to authenticate with something they have.

This is considered insecure because people may use weak passwords or passwords that are easily compromised. The most common single-factor authentication is password-based authentication.

Knowledge: This factor requires users to authenticate with something they know.

The five commonly accepted authentication factors are knowledge, possession, inherence, location, and behavior.

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