What is the purpose of MFA in user authentication?

• A. Logs every login attempt for analytics.
• B. Replaces password policy with biometrics only.
• C. Adds a second factor to verify identity, mitigating password-only compromises.
• D. Allows passwordless access with a universal key.

Answer: (C)

Multi-factor authentication strengthens login by requiring more than one form of proof. It combines something you know (like a password) with something you have (such as an authenticator code from an app or a hardware security key) or something you are (biometrics). Because two or more factors are needed, even if a password is stolen, an attacker still must provide the second factor, which significantly reduces the chance of a successful breach. This is why MFA’s purpose is to mitigate password-only compromises.

The other ideas aren’t what MFA is designed for: simply logging login attempts relates to monitoring and auditing, not adding extra proof of identity; using biometrics only or replacing passwords entirely isn’t what MFA requires—MFA uses a combination of factors, not a single one; and passwordless access with a universal key describes a single-factor, not multi-factor, scenario.