What type of attacks can be mitigated by employing two-factor authentication?

Implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) can significantly enhance the security of user accounts by requiring an additional verification step beyond just a username and password. This additional factor often takes the form of a one-time code sent to a mobile device or an authentication app, making it considerably harder for unauthorized users to gain access.

Phishing attacks often rely on tricking users into revealing their passwords. Even if a user's credentials are compromised through a phishing scheme, the attacker would still need the second factor to successfully log in to the account. Therefore, 2FA acts as a robust barrier against unauthorized access stemming from such attacks.

Similarly, password guessing attacks, such as brute force attacks, involve attempting to guess a user's password through repeated guesses. Once again, if the attacker has the password but lacks the second form of authentication, they will not be able to successfully access the account.

In contrast, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks target the availability of a service rather than attempting to gain unauthorized access to user accounts. While important to defend against, they are not mitigated by the use of authentication methods like 2FA.

Overall, two-factor authentication effectively mitigates both phishing and password guessing attacks by requiring an additional confirmation, thereby enhancing account security.