What is mobile authentication? | Definition from TechTarget (2024)

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What is mobile authentication? | Definition from TechTarget? ›

Mobile authentication

Mobile authentication is the verification of a user's identity via a mobile device using one or more authentication methods for secure access. Mobile authentication can be used to authorize the mobile device itself or as a part of a multifactor authentication scheme for logging in to secure locations and resources.

The scheme uses scratch codes and Short Messaging Service (SMS) to empower consumers to verify the authenticity of medicines at the point of purchase: (putting the power of detecting counterfeit in the hands of consumers) The consumer scratches a panel on the product which reveals a unique, one-time use PIN.

Mobile phone verification focuses on validating phone numbers at every stage of the customer lifecycle — including account creation, transaction authentication, and ongoing customer engagement activities — to decrease the potential for compromised security.

There are three authentication factors that can be used: something you know, something you have, and something you are. Something you know would be a password, a PIN, or some other personal information.

An authenticator app is a mobile application that provides an extra layer of security to your online accounts by generating time-based one-time passwords (TOTPs).

The Google Authenticator app can generate one-time verification codes for sites and apps that support Authenticator app 2-Step Verification. If you set up 2-Step Verification, you can use the Google Authenticator app to generate codes to sign in to your Google Account.

Check for the drug's registration number: A drug with no registration number of the appropriate drug agency (such as National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) number for drugs sold in Nigeria and the drug listing number or National drug code for drugs in the United States) is likely to be ...

You should use an authenticator app over SMS authentication because it is more secure and less likely to be intercepted by cybercriminals. Authenticator apps generate 2FA codes locally on a device, rather than sending them unencrypted over text message.

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Device authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a device to ensure that only authorized devices are allowed to access certain resources or perform specific actions.

Password-based authentication

Passwords are the most common methods of authentication. Passwords can be in the form of a string of letters, numbers, or special characters. To protect yourself you need to create strong passwords that include a combination of all possible options.

Something you are

Typical examples of this are biometric markers of an individual, such as voice, fingerprints, or facial features. Biometrics are seen as a secure way of authenticating a person because of their reliance on the individual's unique features.

Physical security key

A physical authentication key is one of the strongest ways to implement multifactor authentication. A private key, stored on a physical device, is used to authenticate a user, such as a USB device that a user plugs into their computer while logging in.

A Wi-Fi authentication error appears when a device cannot securely connect to the Wi-Fi network even when using the correct password. In many cases, this problem occurs because your device fails to verify its identity to the Wi-Fi access point or doesn't meet the authentication requirements set by the Wi-Fi network.