Multi-Factor Authentication — Proposed Guide

Multi-Factor Authentication: Multi-factor authentication combines independent factors during an identity workflow. A future high-risk action design could…

Overview

Multi-factor authentication combines independent factors during an identity workflow. A future high-risk action design could require a recent stronger authentication context without exposing factor secrets to clients.

Key concepts

Authentication strength, time of verification and recovery procedures are separate concerns. Recovery should not silently weaken the authorization required for financial actions.

Implementation considerations

This preview does not claim that MFA is implemented or enforced. Factor enrollment and challenge completion are not available through these pages.

Illustrative data model

This local fixture shows a possible representation for the concepts above. It is not an endpoint response, production configuration or a claim that the described capability is implemented.

{
  "reference_only": true,
  "topic": "Multi-Factor Authentication",
  "principal_id": "principal_example_123",
  "authentication_time": "2026-01-15T12:00:00Z",
  "assurance_level": "assurance level example"
}

Design review checklist

• Document which organization owns the multi-factor authentication representation and which actor may view or change it.
• Test the boundaries of principal id, authentication time, assurance level using synthetic values, including missing or inconsistent references.
• Before future implementation, obtain an approved contract and review failure behavior. This documentation does not authorize production activation.

Proposed data types

Related documentation