Week 3 - Discussion Forum: Authentication and

password security
Discuss the different methods of authentication and  password security that are most
suitable in the following situations;

 Personal banking
 Corporation smartphones
 Personal computers and laptops
 Intranet
 Public Wi-Fi
 Contact-less payment

Word count : 200 words maximum

There are several methods to authenticate users, and ensure that only the right persons have access
to the right information. As simple as it seems, authentication has been one of the biggest challenges
security professionals and organisations have faced in the digital world (Veriff, 2022).

Authentication constitutes the first line of defence, hence organisations add new layers to it, in order
to make this defence stronger.

Some authentication factors are stronger than others. The level of security depends on the
information you try to access in every case. With the rise of maleficent computer activities against
organisations all around the world, simple password credentials are not so sufficient anymore to
authenticate users online. The latter causes urgent pressure on companies and organisations to set
up multiple factors of authentication for more security. Hence the need to understand which to use
following situations:

- Personal banking: PIN numbers (static and dynamic KBA) and other knowledge-based
identification form; Multi-factor authentication methods;

- Corporation smartphones: strong passwords, biometric authentication (face ID, touch

ID);
- Personal computers and laptops: strong passwords, biometric (face, touch ID)
- Intranet: Strong password regularly changed, PIN, OTP;
- Public Wi-Fi: Open Authentication, WPA2-PSK;
- Contact-less payment: D secure, Card Verification Value, and Address Verification.

Tech expert Kim Komando says, “A lowercase, six-character password takes a hacker
around 10 minutes to figure out. Add four more characters, and you extend the time of that
heist by 45,000 years.” (Mercer Savings Bank, 2022).

References

Chapple, M, Stewart, J.M & Gibson, D., 2018. CISSP Certified Information Systems Security
Professional: Official Study Guide. 8th ed. Indianapolis: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Mercer (2020)’This is how to create thr strongest password’. Available at :
https://mercersavings.com/this-is-how-to-create-the-strongest-online-banking-password/.
(30/01/2020)

Vekua. U.(2022) ‘Types of Authentications Method’ Accessible at :

https://www.veriff.com/blog/types-of-authentication-methods (30/01/2020)