Many companies use Short Message Service ( SMS) to provide a temporary passcode via text for a second authentication factor. The same number and algorithm are used by the security token on the smart card or device to match and validate the one-time password and user.

When an unauthenticated user attempts to access a system or perform a transaction on a device, an authentication manager on the network server generates a number or shared secret, using one-time password algorithms. Unlike traditional passwords that remain static or expire every 30 to 60 days, the one-time password is used for one transaction or login session. OTP security tokens can be implemented using hardware, software or on demand. Mobile device apps, such as Google Authenticator, rely on the token device and PIN to generate the one-time password for two-step verification. This secret code changes every 30 or 60 seconds, depending on how the token is configured. OTP security tokens are microprocessor-based smart cards or pocket-size key fobs that produce a numeric or alphanumeric code to authenticate access to the system or transaction.

OTPs may replace authentication login information or may be used in addition to it to add another layer of security. A one-time password (OTP) is an automatically generated numeric or alphanumeric string of characters that authenticates a user for a single transaction or login session.Īn OTP is more secure than a static password, especially a user-created password, which can be weak and/or reused across multiple accounts.

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