Fact sheet: Multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication

Devices and accounts are important tools that help us stay connected. But they also contain a lot of personal information that you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands. So how do you ensure your private information stays private? Go beyond just a password by enabling multi-factor authentication, which requires additional verification (like a PIN or fingerprint) to access your devices or accounts.

Multi-factor authentication is all about YOU

Who you are

• Fingerprint scanners
• Voice verification
• Facial recognition

What you know

• Security questions
• Passwords and passphrases
• PINs

What you own

• SMS authentication
• Application-based authentications
• Hardware tokens

Did you know?

• 1 in 3 Canadians use multi-factor authentication¹
• A simple 2-step verification can protect you from:
  • 100% of automated bots
  • 96% of phishing attacks
  • 76% of targeted attacks²
• 81% of hacking-related data breaches are due to weak or stolen passwords³

How multi-factor authentication can help protect you

• Enabling multi-factor authentication can help you keep your data safe from cyber criminals.
• Some authenticators, like SMS or application-based authentications, can make you aware of someone attempting to access your account.

¹ Public Safety Canada, Survey of Internet Users Regarding Cyber Security, EKOS Research Associates, 2018
² New research: How effective is basic account hygiene at preventing hijacking, Google Security Blog, 2019
³ 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report, Verizon, 2017