Matrix card authentication

Matrix cards (also called “grid cards”) are used as a second factor to authenticate users. A user has a list of codes - typically printed on paper - that are requested to be entered in the authentication process.

Airlock IAM offers the following services for matrix cards:

  • Authentication
  • Generation of matrix cards
  • Using matrix cards for verification in public and protected self-service flows.

The following types of matrix cards are supported:

  • Matrix card (a grid card with codes organized in a coordinate system).

  • Example:

  • Indexed TAN-list (an indexed sequence of codes, so every code has an associated index).

  • Example:

How authentication with matrix cards works

  • The user must enter one or more security codes during the authentication process.
  • Depending on the configuration, it is either a coordinate (matrix card) or an index (indexed TAN list).
  • The user then enters the code, which he can retrieve from the printed list of matrix codes that was sent to him.
  • After entering the correct matrix code(s), the user is authenticated successfully.

How approval works with matrix cards

Approval steps can be used to obtain end-user approval by verifying a security code from a matrix card.

Approval steps are provided for:

  • Public self-services
  • Protected self-services

Further information and links