two-factor authentication

American  

[too-fak-ter aw-then-ti-key-shuhn] / ˈtuˈfæk tər ɔˌθɛn tɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

Digital Technology.

1. a process of establishing identity and verifying permission to access an electronic device or computer network that requires two different forms of authorization, such as a password and a fingerprint scan. 2FA

---

Etymology

Origin of two-factor authentication

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

To fix, start with key accounts such as email and banking and enable two-factor authentication if that’s an option.

From The Wall Street Journal

Work-issued phones can be an even bigger hassle, since personal financial accounts often use that number for two-factor authentication.

From The Wall Street Journal

And if you log in with a passkey instead of a password, sites typically won’t ask you for a second level of identity verification, such as a two-factor authentication code sent to your phone.

From The Wall Street Journal

Microsoft provides a similar capability with its Authenticator app, which some people use for two-factor authentication in place of texted codes for signing into online accounts.

From The Wall Street Journal

I’m not quite ready to blame our national loneliness epidemic on two-factor authentication and automated help desks.

From The Wall Street Journal