Limitations Of Two-factor Authentication | Access Control (2024)

FAQs

Limitations Of Two-factor Authentication | Access Control? ›

Drawbacks of Two-Factor Authentication

2FA, and multi-factor authentication as a whole, is a reliable and effective system for blocking unauthorized access. It still, however, has some downsides. These include: Increased login time – Users must go through an extra step to login into an application, adding time to the login process.

No, 2FA is not 100% hacker-proof; it significantly increases security but can still be vulnerable to sophisticated phishing attacks and other methods. One such method is called SIM-swapping, where a hacker transfers the SIM of a user's device to their own mobile device via social engineering methods.

Many MFA solutions add external dependencies to systems, which can introduce security vulnerabilities or single points of failure. Processes implemented to allow users to bypass or reset MFA may be exploitable by attackers. Requiring MFA may prevent some users from accessing the application.

2FA can be vulnerable to several attacks from hackers because a user can accidentally approve access to a request issued by a hacker without acknowledging it.

Especially concerning is the fact that, for the most part, carrying out 2FA attacks does not require a great deal of skill or effort from hackers. These kinds of attacks are often carried out by novices, so organized crimes syndicates and nation-states with considerable resources pose an even more serious threat.

This is because almost all user accounts depend on a password and a vulnerable second factor authenticator, so they can be phished or circumvented using AiTM. As a result, passkeys can also be bypassed, and cannot provide meaningful security to businesses.

Another common 2FA vulnerability is SIM swapping, which is a form of identity theft that involves transferring a user's phone number to a new SIM card controlled by a hacker. This way, the hacker can intercept any 2FA codes sent via SMS or phone call to the user's phone number, and use them to access their accounts.

Most 2FA methods involve sending temporary codes via SMS or emails, but these can be easily intercepted by hackers through account takeover, SIM swapping, and/or MitM attacks. To avoid these vulnerabilities, businesses should use authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.

MFA is more secure than 2FA. But many companies still use 2FA for two reasons. One, it's cheaper and easier to setup. Most software suites support 2FA, but not all of them support MFA.

What are the possible problems encountered using MFA? ›

Disadvantages of Biometric Authentication

Privacy Concerns: Biometric authentication systems store sensitive information about individuals, such as their fingerprints or facial features. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for identity theft or other malicious purposes.

Emailing the Code Vulnerability:

“The email-based MFA method sends token messages after users input their login details.” However, it may only sometimes be accurate. MFA cannot stop phishing if the user account has become compromised; hackers can use this exploit for further unauthorized access.

By adding an additional layer of authentication, 2FA helps mitigate the risks associated with relying solely on passwords for access to digital assets. Passwords, no matter how complex, are susceptible to various security threats, including brute force attacks, phishing, and social engineering.

Another way how 2-step verification can be hacked is via credential stuffing, where attackers try to breach a system using lists of compromised usernames and passwords. Bots are often used to automate the process and maximise the chances of getting a successful hit.

Drawbacks you may encounter

The most common reason for this can be the lack of a modern phone or any other gadget that would support such a feature. Problems due to loss of access to one of the authentication factors. This can make it difficult to access a personal account and take some time to solve it.

Now this limit has been reduced from Rs. 100 crores to Rs. 20 Crores from 01st Nov 2023. Users are requested to register for 2FA immediately and also create sub-users so that EWB activities are managed without any problem.

Basic authentication also has some drawbacks: Information is sent over the network as cleartext. The information is encoded with base64 encoding (see RFC 1521 for more information on base64 encoding), but it is sent in an unencrypted format. Any password sent using basic authentication can easily be decoded.