Obtain HMAC hash (using SHA-1 hashing algorithm) by secretKey and counter hmacHash = HMAC-SHA-1(secretKey, counter) Ģ. The first step is to create an HMAC hash from a secret key and counter.HOTP defines an algorithm to create a one time password from a secret key and a counter. This algorithm was published as RFC4226 by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). HOTP stands for “HMAC-Based One-Time Password”. The solution to the first problem is defined in the HOTP algorithm. How will the server share the secret key with the phone’s application?.How will the counter update? How will the web server keep track of the counter?.How will the application generate a one time password using a secret key and counter?.This should work, but there are three main problems with it: Phone application changes the counter after a certain interval and regenerates the one time password making it dynamic. Phone application generate a one time password using that secret key and counter.5. Phone application initializes a counter.4. Server then shares that secret key with the user’s phone application.3. Backend server creates a secret key for that particular user.2. The following could be a way to implement this solution: When the user enables two factor authentication: 1. Our requirement here is to create a password on the user side, and that password should keep changing. Great! Now let’s understand the workings of the TOTP-method and try to implement the above solution ourselves. So it prevents the server from sending a text message every time user tries to login.Īlso, the generated password changes after a certain time interval, so it behaves like a one time password. This means that users always have access to their one time password. How the TOTP-based method worksīefore understanding this, let’s first discuss what problems this method will solve for us.īy using the TOTP method, we are creating a one time password on the user side (instead of server side) through a smartphone application. So let’s understand how the TOTP-based method works. The TOTP-based method is becoming popular because of it’s advantages over the SMS-based method. It’s easy, but it has its own problems, like waiting for the SMS on every login attempt, security issues, and so on. The SMS-based method does not need any explanation. That application then continuously generates the One Time Password for the user. TOTP-based: In this method, while enabling 2-factor authentication, the user is asked to scan a QR image using a specific smartphone application.SMS-based: In this method, every time the user logs in, they receive a text message to their registered phone number, which contains a One Time Password.This method is more secure, because a criminal cannot access the user’s account unless they have access to both the user’s regular password and one time password.Ĭurrently, there are two widely used methods to get that one time password: So this adds one more step to the login process. For example, the usual steps for logging in to an account are:īut after enabling 2-factor authentication, the steps look something like this: That means that, after enabling two factor authentication, the user has to go through one more step to log in successfully. Two-factor authentication (or multi factor authentication) is just an extra layer of security for a user’s account. But before understanding that, let’s first briefly take a look at what two-factor authentication means. This article explains what it is, and how and why to use it. There are various methods of implementing 2-factor authentication, and TOTP (the Time-based One-Time Password algorithm) authentication is one of them. They do it by enabling 2-factor authentication. Nowadays, a lot of online web applications are asking users to add an extra layer of security for their account. You need to make sure your users’ accounts are safe. With the increase in cyber security threats, it has become more and more necessary to upgrade the security standards of your web applications. By Prakash Sharma How Time-based One-Time Passwords work and why you should use them in your app.
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