IT Security Blog

The process of proving who you are (called authentication) is a key step to protecting your online information. You want to be sure only you have access to your private information, so you need a secure method to prove who you are, such as when you check email, purchase something online or access your bank accounts. You can prove who you are in three different ways: what you know, such as a password, what you have, such as your passport, and who you are, such as your fingerprint. Each one of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. The most common authentication method is using what.you know: passwords.

Source: SANS Ouch! Security Newsletter