Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) means proving who you are in two or more different ways before you can log in, instead of relying on a password alone. The usual mix is something you know like a password, something you have like your phone or a small security key and something you are like a fingerprint.

It works like a bank card that needs both the physical card and your PIN: stealing just one is not enough. Because a criminal would have to beat two separate checks at once, turning on MFA blocks the large majority of attacks that rely on a stolen or guessed password. Not every method is equally strong, so a security key or an app is safer than a code sent by text, but any MFA is far better than none.