Which authentication method improves security by requiring multiple forms of verification?

Multifactor authentication significantly enhances security by requiring users to provide multiple forms of verification before gaining access to a system or application. This method implements a layered approach to security, ensuring that even if one factor (such as a password) is compromised, unauthorized access is still prevented because a second factor is needed for verification. Typical factors include something the user knows (like a password), something the user has (like a smartphone app for generating a one-time code), or something the user is (like biometric data).

By demanding these multiple verification methods, multifactor authentication greatly reduces the risk of unauthorized access compared to methods that rely solely on a single factor, such as a username and password or single sign-on solutions, which while convenient, do not inherently provide the same level of security as multifactor authentication.