FAQs
Security questions, such as "what is the name of your first pet?" are not 2FA because they substitute to your password. In 2FA, you need to input the two factors to authenticate (log in). For example, you need to type your password and present a badge.
What is a good security question and answer? ›
Try to come up with unique questions with simple answers, like “what's your favorite pet” to verify your identity. Security questions shouldn't have multiple potential answers. Pick something precise, simple, and straightforward.
How to recover Apple security questions answers? ›
If you forget the answers to your security questions, you'll need a rescue email address to help you reset them.
Do security questions count as MFA? ›
When to Use Security Questions. Applications should generally use a password along with a second authentication factor (such as an OTP code) to authenticate users. The combination of a password and security questions does not constitute MFA, as both factors as the same (i.e. something you know)..
What if I forgot the answer to my security question? ›
If you forgot both your security question answers, there are two things you can do. If you have a computer that you have chosen to “Remember computer” on, you can log in on that computer and reset your security questions.
Is two-factor authentication full proof? ›
While 2FA does improve security, it is not foolproof.
What is a valid security question? ›
Memorability and Obviousness
The answer to a good security question should be obvious. In addition, it should be easy to remember, but at the same time remain secret to others. The answer should be immediately remembered as soon as the user receives the security question.
How do you pass a security question? ›
Make answers to the security questions just as strong as your passwords. “Statistically, the longer a password — or answer to a security question — the more difficult it is for someone to guess,” as Jordan Holz, CIPP/US, advises in a post via International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) website.
How many security questions should be asked? ›
The purpose of security questions is to protect your business against cyberattacks, so ask as many questions as possible and confirm the user's identity before letting them in. Hackers may breach a single security question. However, asking multiple questions improves your security system.
What happens if I forgot my Apple ID password and security questions? ›
After setup, you can find the "Forgot password or don't have an Apple ID?" option in Settings: iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to the Settings app and tap Sign in to your iPhone. Then tap "Forgot password or don't have an Apple ID?" and follow the onscreen instructions.
Security Questions are not case sensitive. So "London" is the same as "london". Indeed it's possible to add a words with unicode characters, e.g. greek words and most likely in other languages, spaces, dashes etc.
What if I don't have enough information to reset my Apple ID? ›
Account recovery is a process designed to get you back into your Apple ID account when you don't have enough information to reset your password. For security reasons, it might take several days or longer before you can use your account again.
Is 2FA the answer? ›
In order to protect sensitive data, you must verify that the users trying to access that data are who they say they are. 2FA is an effective way to protect against many security threats that target user passwords and accounts, such as phishing, brute-force attacks, credential exploitation and more.
Does two-factor authentication require security questions? ›
Do I still need to remember any security questions? No. With two-factor authentication, you don't need to remember any security questions. We verify your identity exclusively using your password and verification codes sent to your trusted devices and phone numbers.
What are examples of security questions? ›
Here are examples of some common security questions:
- In what city were you born?
- What is the name of your favorite pet?
- What is your mother's maiden name?
- What high school did you attend?
- What was the name of your elementary school?
- What was the make of your first car?
- What was your favorite food as a child?
2FA can be vulnerable to several attacks from hackers because a user can accidentally approve access to a request issued by a hacker without acknowledging it.
What are the disadvantages of two-factor authentication? ›
These include:
- Increased login time – Users must go through an extra step to login into an application, adding time to the login process.
- Integration – 2FA usually depends on services or hardware provided by third parties, e.g., a mobile service provider issuing verification codes via text message.
A security question is a form of the shared secret. It is frequently used as an additional layer of identity authentication to enhance account security. During the account creation process, users are prompted to set up security questions.
What does two-factor authentication include? ›
Authentication using two or more factors to achieve authentication. Factors include: (i) something you know (e.g. password/personal identification number (PIN)); (ii) something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or (iii) something you are (e.g., biometric).
