Impact of Two-Factor Authentication on User Convenience and Security

Two-factor authentication is a security measure used to provide security to user accounts, online transactions and for access of any sensitive data. The basic concept of two-factor authentication is to have two layers of protection, one of which would be login credentials by default. Second layer of protection might include security tokens or one-time password in order to successfully access the secured entity. The paper explores the different applications of the two-factor authentication methods. This study focuses on making the use of two-factor authentication easy and understandable for the user and satisfies users with the additional security it provides. The paper also looks out for the challenges and issues that users may encounter when using these methods. Initially we analyze the current methods and applications of two-factor authentication in various industries, including finance, healthcare, government and technology. Then we investigate the usability of three popular two-factor authentication (2FA) solutions which are: codes generated by security tokens, one-time PIN s received via email or SMS, and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). A survey including 219 Mechanical Turk users was done to measure the usability of these solutions. The major finding of this study is that the method of a two-factor authentication required for an application might differ based on the application. The results of this study indicate that users reported high levels of satisfaction with one-time PINSs (OTP) received via email or SMS, but criticized the use of security tokens. PKI was observed to be the least used solution with lower level of user satisfaction and more challenges. To summarize the organization should review different available authentication methods and choose the one which benefits the users.