If an organization uses a combination of passwords and biometric data to control access, which type of authentication factors are being utilized?

The correct answer is multi-factor authentication. This approach involves combining two or more different types of authentication factors to enhance security. In this case, the organization is using both passwords (something the user knows) and biometric data (something the user is, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition). By utilizing these two distinct factors, it strengthens the authentication process significantly.

Multi-factor authentication is particularly effective because it requires an attacker to compromise more than one type of authentication factor, which is typically more difficult than bypassing a single factor. This adds an extra layer of security, as the likelihood of both factors being compromised is lower.

Single-factor authentication involves only one type of authentication, such as just a password or just a biometric input. Two-factor authentication specifically refers to the use of two different authentication factors, which is indeed part of multi-factor authentication but does not encompass the possibility of using more than two factors. Role-based authentication, on the other hand, is a method of assigning access rights based on a user's role within the organization, rather than focusing on the specific methods of authentication used.