What is MFA (multifactor authentication)?

This episode of Techsplainers explores multifactor authentication (MFA) as a critical defense against account compromise and identity theft. Building on our previous authentication discussion, we examine how MFA requires multiple types of evidence to verify identity—from something you know (passwords) and something you have (security tokens) to something you are (biometrics) and something you do (behavioral patterns). The podcast explains why using different types of factors provides stronger security than multiple factors of the same type, while highlighting modern implementations like adaptive MFA that adjusts security requirements based on risk assessment. As organizations face increasing threats from compromised credentials, MFA offers a powerful security enhancement that remains effective even if passwords are stolen. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/multi-factor-authentication Find more episodes at https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Bryan Clark