Authentication technologies deployed and used by companies worldwide 2022

In 2022, the most used authentication technology by companies worldwide was multi-factor authentication (MFA), followed by cloud-based single sign-on. Moreover, 48 percent of respondents stated that their company used a passwordless authentication system.

An additional layer of security over the passwords

MFA uses extra verification information over a generic password, resulting in an additional layer of authentication for security, with a market size close to 13 billion U.S. dollars worldwide in 2022. Most MFA authentication methods rely on one of three types of information: something you know - like a password or PIN; something you have - like a security token or smartphone; or something you are - like a biometric such as fingerprints or facial recognition.

Barriers to the adoption of MFA

Implementing MFA can be challenging due to user resistance with concerns of mass surveillance using linked databases. Some of the other concerns include poor user experience and difficulties in integration into legacy systems. To overcome these adoption barriers, educating users about the benefits and risks of MFA with regard to biometrics and making the authentication process as seamless and user-friendly as possible is essential.