Risk-based factor selection

Abstract

The present technology provides for altering an authentication technique in response to a detection of a possible attack to which the authentication technique is vulnerable. An authentication provider can receive an authentication request to authenticate to a first resource, where the authentication to the first resource is permitted using a particular authentication technique, includes contextual information associated with the first access device and information identifying the first resource. Based on the contextual information, the authentication provider can determine that the authentication request is subject to an ongoing attack, and determine, an alternative authentication technique that is less vulnerable to the ongoing attack than the particular authentication technique. The authentication provider can require the first user account to authenticate with the first resource using the alternative authentication technique that is less vulnerable to the ongoing attack than the particular authentication technique.