Which factor is a possible MFA authentication factor?

SY0-701 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

B Something you have

Question

Which of the following is a possible factor for MFA?
  1. Something you exhibit
  2. Something you have Correct Answer
  3. Somewhere you are
  4. Someone you know

Key Takeaways

This tests knowledge of MFA factor categories (know, have, are) and the trap is that 'somewhere you are' is a lesser-known valid factor, but for the exam's classic three-factor model, 'something you have' is the safest choice.

The question asks to identify an MFA factor; the widely accepted answer is 'something you have' (possession factor), but the wording is ambiguous because 'somewhere you are' is also a valid location factor in some frameworks. Community consensus supports B as the exam answer.

Common mistake: Choosing C (Somewhere you are) is common because location is used in adaptive authentication, but it is not one of the three primary MFA factors (knowledge, possession, inherence); the exam expects B.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Option B, 'Something you have', is a standard and universally accepted MFA factor. Examples include smart cards, hardware tokens, and authenticator apps that generate one-time codes. In the classic MFA triad (knowledge, possession, inherence), the possession factor is represented by 'something you have'.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option A, 'Something you exhibit', is not a recognized MFA factor; the closest is 'something you are' (biometrics), but 'exhibit' is not a standard category. Option C, 'Somewhere you are', is a location-based attribute used in some adaptive authentication systems, but it is not one of the core factors in the CompTIA Security+ framework. Option D, 'Someone you know', is not an authentication factor; it is a social concept and not part of MFA models.

Community Comment Notes

Comment [1] highlights that option D is tricky because it says 'someone' rather than 'something you know', which is the knowledge factor. Comment [3] criticizes the question wording, noting that 'know', 'have', and 'are' are all valid factors, and that 'somewhere you are' is also sometimes included. Comment [4] lists the standard factors and includes 'somewhere you are' as a valid location factor, illustrating the ambiguity. Nevertheless, the exam and most official references emphasize the classic three factors, making B the best answer.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Memorize the four recognized factor categories (know, have, are, somewhere) but understand that the classic three are know/have/are. For ambiguous questions, choose the most universally accepted factor—when in doubt, 'something you have' is almost always a correct MFA factor.

Community Votes

B
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 8 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 8

  1. EfaChux 👍 5 Answered B
    Very tricky with the the D option, which says "someone" instead of something you know, which will be the password option.
  2. mr_reyes 👍 3
    This would only make sense if they meant to say "Which of the following is not a possible factor for MFA?". Only 1 answer fits that question. Otherwise 3 answers fit the question as its stated.
  3. f48446d 👍 3
    I don't like the wording to this question. Possible factor? All 3 (know, have, and are) are part of MFA.
  4. mr_reyes 👍 2
    This is a very trick question, if this is actually how its worded on the test: Possible factors for MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) include: Something you have: This could be a physical device such as a smart card, a hardware token, or a smartphone app that generates one-time codes. Incorrect Options: Something you exhibit: This is not a standard factor in MFA. Authentication factors generally involve items or characteristics, not behavioral traits. Someone you know: This would be a factor if its worded as "Something you know" (such as a password), but if they actually word it as "Someone you know" its not correct. Somewhere you are: This would be a factor if its worded as "Something you are" (such as a fingerprint or retina scan), but if they actually word it as "Somewhere you are" its not correct.
  5. 557641e 👍 2 Answered B
    MFA Factors: 1. Something you know - Password, PIN, pattern 2. Something you have - Smart card, usb security key, hardware or software tokens, phone 3. Something you are - Biometric authentication, (fingerprint, iris scan, voice print) 4. Somewhere you are - Geolocation , IP address, 802.11 network
Show 3 more comments
  1. Crucible_Bro 👍 2
    Something you have and something you know are both MFA factors...
  2. dbrowndiver 👍 1 Answered B
    B. Something you have Why It’s Correct: This is a standard and widely accepted MFA factor. Examples include: Smart cards. Hardware tokens. Authentication apps generating one-time codes. "Something you have" is a definitive MFA factor and fits perfectly within the accepted categories.
  3. jafyyy 👍 1
    B something you have like a smartphone or card is a standard factor to verify identity with MFA.

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