The basic idea behind any type of multi-factor authentication is communication between an MFA device and a server. An MFA server can be set up either on-premise (locally within your company’s infrastructure) or in a cloud. Both approaches have their pros and cons. In this post, we aim to give you a comprehensive comparison of cloud multi-factor authentication vs on-premise 2FA solutions to help you choose the best 2-factor authentication for your business. Test the Protectimus on-premise 2FA platform How 2-Factor Authentication Works Unlike single-factor authentication, which requires only a passcode, multi-factor authentication requires two, or all three of the next determinants: Something you know, which is your user password;Something you possess, which is your MFA security device or token;Something you are, or your biometrics for TouchID, FaceID, and the like. For MFA authentication to validate the user’s identity, the user’s token and multi-factor authentication server are required to share a secret key. So, any OATH 2FA authentication will work like this: The server and the user share a secret seed.The user logs in the application or website protected with MFA and enters the user login credentials.What happens next rests on the 2FA algorithm used. Either the user’s token mixes its secret key with the running time (TOTP), or with a counter (HOTP), or utilizes the challenge/response algorithm (OCRA). The token then provides the end-user with an OTP to enter on the protected website.The server goes through the same key+counter/time/challenge process and compares both values. If the values received from the token and the server are the same, the user is granted access. And, as we’ve already established, a two-factor authentication vendor can set up an MFA server either in the cloud or locally in the client’s environment. Now let’s look closer into cloud vs on-premise multi authentication. | Read also: Two-Factor Authentication Solutions Comparison: Google Authenticator vs. Protectimus On-Premise 2FA Pros and Cons Most 2-factor authentication providers offer on-premise solutions to those clients who need full control over all their systems and operations and have rigorous security policies. Local multi-factor authentication software installation allows the utmost protection for your server and your users. An on-premise 2FA server does not require any connection to the Internet and other outside networks, thus you can set it up on an isolated network. With on-premise 2FA not only do you have the fullest control over the system’s operations, databases, and all the sensitive data, you also have full knowledge of the platform’s equipment. This gives you many advantages, starting with the confidence in the system’s efficiency, and ending with the ability to quickly fix any issues if they occur. Naturally, local MFA setup comes with all the reporting tools you might require, including those for gathering stats, managing users and secret keys, etc. And if you need any custom features Protectimus team can add them for you. We can not say for every 2FA provider on the market, but the Protectimus On-premise Platform is very versatile. The platform runs on any major operating system like Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, etc. And it supports Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer. We comply with every industry standard and uphold all the major OTP algorithms (HMAC, HOTP, TOTP, OCRA). Of course, there are drawbacks. You will have to spend quite a lot of time, money, and effort to set up the environment for an on-premise 2FA server. You will then have to maintain it, which requires time and qualified human resources. | Read also: Active Directory Two-Factor Authentication with Protectimus DSPA Cloud-Based Two Factor Authentication Pros and Cons For a smaller sized business, there are a lot of pros in cloud-based authentication solutions. Cloud authentication service,...