UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Two factor authentication (2FA) strengthens security by demanding evidence from two different categories such as something you know (password) and something you have (phone or token). Even if a password is compromised, the attacker still lacks the second factor. This approach reduces successful unauthorized access to online accounts. Therefore the dual requirement described in the stem exemplifies two factor authentication.

Option A:
Option A, single sign-on, allows users to access multiple systems with one set of credentials but does not necessarily involve multiple factors. It focuses on convenience rather than adding an extra independent verification.

Option B:
Option B, data encryption, protects information by converting it into unreadable form for unauthorized parties but is not itself an authentication method. It addresses confidentiality rather than proving identity during login.

Option C:
Option C is correct because 2FA schemes commonly use one-time codes delivered via SMS, authenticator apps or hardware tokens alongside traditional passwords. The example of a phone code in the stem matches this pattern exactly.

Option D:
Option D, file compression, reduces file size for storage or transmission efficiency and has no relation to verifying user identity.