---
title: "Contextual Authentication: A Multi-factor Approach Tech Brief"
description: Contextual authentication works behind-the-scenes to prevent unauthorized access and applies the appropriate level of authentication based on the expected impact of the context around a user’s access request, including location, time, device, network, and application.
---

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# Contextual Authentication: A Multi-Factor Approach

 

## Contextual Authentication works behind the scenes to prevent unauthorized access and applies the appropriate level of authentication.

Roaming users and remote access to confidential data are becoming a major security concern. In response, many organizations are over-steering towards rigid Two-Factor Authorization, which cannot adapt to different user scenarios, resulting in poor user adoption and increased frustration.

 

Between security and usability comes contextual authentication (or context-based authentication), which applies the appropriate level of authentication based on the context around a user's access request, including location, time, device, network, and application. For example, employees in the office may only need to provide strong passwords, whereas a traveling salesperson must provide two factors. However, a traveling salesperson now in the office only needs to provide a password to prove his identity, due to his new situation when requesting access.

 

With a primary focus on contextual authentication, PortalGuard provides dynamic security to enhance usability for users and strengthen security to match your organization's policies and compliance standards.

 

Benefits of PortalGuard Contextual Authentication:

- Increase security without impacting the end-user experience
- Increase usability for authorized users while creating barriers for unauthorized users
- Configure all options down to the individual user, group, or application levels
- Lower the total cost of ownership, compared to token-based two-factor authentication alternatives
- Proactive approach to reducing threats — block suspicious users in real-time before a login attempt is made
- Gather insights into user access scenarios and dynamically adjust the authentication method

 

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