Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a layer of security that allows companies to protect against the leading cause of data breach — compromised credentials. Users provide extra information or factors when they access corporate applications, networks and servers. Is Multi-factor authentication can be hacked? Yes/No and How?
Your thoughts?
Is Multi-factor authentication can be hacked? Yes/No and How?
Sooner or later all security mechanisms, devices etc. can be hacked as long as their weak point is discovered / exploited. Hence, continuous testing & improvement is only way forward.
There are three types of authentication factors - (1) what user knows, (2) what user has, and (3) what user is. 1st is call: Knowledge-Based Authentication; 2nd is based on something a user has in one's possession - a card, a software or hardware authenticator; 3rd is a so called Biometric based authentication (finger prints, face recognition, bio-movement signature patterns, etc.). If the security system is utilizing a couple of the same type authentication factors - it is called - a layered authentication.
For instance, using a PIN and then also requiring a password - it is a layered authentication. Only in a case when several authentication factors are of different types, it's called - a multi-factor authentication. In addition to multi-factor authentication, there is a multi-channel authentication where, for instance, a user enters a password into a desktop browser's' API (Application Programming Interface), and then obtains a PIN over his/her smartphone's text or email applications which is to be entered into the same browser's based API once again. Then, it is two-channel, two-factor layered user authentication. If the PIN is a random seed for the user's software or hardware authenticators to generate an alphanumeric code to enter, then it is two-channel, two-factor user authentication.
Each combination of authentication factors, channels, hardware or software authenticators, and biometric technologies has its own strong and weak points. However, slowly but surely the security of user authentication schemes is being improved, though due to the flourishing cyber-security crime a lot of efforts will be required yet to reduce probabilities of security breaches.
Examples of multi-factors authentication can be "hacked" at different times or at the same time are:
Un ordre to evaluate the security of a multi-factor authentication scheme, we can use an automated tool (e.g. AVISPA, Proverify, ...) and a privacy model (e.g. Ouafi-Phan model, ...). We also specify the adversary model.
Some time you will see password is weakly bound, some time the imprints of biometrics and its protection is compromised while some times the credentials inside the smart card have been stolen by a hacker.
Similarity, in some cases the shared portion at server peer (Synchronized space) has been accessed by a user while some times Main-in-the-Middle, Denial -of-Service Attacks have launched by an attacker. It purely depends on the method and tightly bound arraignments from user's side and its transmission over a public channel to the other side. Need much knowledge and experiences/expertise to understand such type of attacks.
Computer systems are provided with passwords so as not to allow others to see/ hack the accounts. More precautions and measures are also taken. For companies, having several systems, they are also protected more than us depending upon the secrecy and importance of information. I think those who have a capability of developing a software can also be able to hack but it takes time and huge procedure. Hacking is risk, troublesome, dangerous and has high punishment when found. Hence, one who have a specific interest will try even though there are multi factor authentication and I think as imagined this is also not easy.
The following questions must be kept mind while securing any multi-server environment
Q1: Do peers know each other? (If yes then your communication is secure)
Q2: Do they know whether the message is fresh? (If ensure, then no man-in-the-middle attack is there)
Q3: Does one know that a third party just did not inject false information in the original message? (If yes, then it means adversary is not replaying the old information to the other peer).
2 FA/MFA may be vulnerable to applications that provide ways to avoid these factors due to backwards compatibility due to legacy features.
1- SMS
2-Bio-metric Methods
3- Hardware Failure
Yes, it's possible. Every system is as vulnerable as it's weakest chain. Let's say your access to a computer is protected by your password and a pin code coming to your cell phone (two-factor, two-channel authentication). If you forgot both - to turn off the computer and left the phone in the room as well - an intruder's job is easy. Let's say you turned off the computer, but the sticker reminding your password is glued to the table you're sitting at, and you still forgot the cell phone - it's an easy job again for the intruder. You may say you'd never do anything like that, but once in several hundred times, if not more often) it may happen. One, who wants to hack, will wait for the right moment. There are much more sophisticated hacking schemes. The simplified example above just shows - it's possible!
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