CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What type of authentication is required when a user must swipe a key card and enter a password?

1. Multi-factor authentication

2. Single sign-on

3. Biometric authentication

4. Single-factor authentication

The correct answer is: Multi-factor authentication

The scenario described involves two distinct forms of authentication: swiping a key card and entering a password. This combination exemplifies multi-factor authentication, which enhances security by requiring multiple forms of verification from different categories. In this case, the key card represents something the user possesses (a physical object), while the password represents something the user knows (a piece of information). Multi-factor authentication is widely recognized as a robust security measure because it significantly decreases the likelihood of unauthorized access; even if one factor is compromised, the other helps to safeguard the system. In contrast, single-factor authentication would only involve one method of verification, either just a password or just a key card but not both. Biometric authentication relies on physiological traits like fingerprints or facial recognition, while single sign-on pertains to accessing multiple applications with one set of credentials—neither of which applies to the mentioned scenario.