Module reference · Identity & security
x/mfa — MFA
On-chain multi-factor authentication policies for sensitive operations.
What it does
Inside x/mfa
The mfa module brings multi-factor authentication into consensus: accounts can enroll additional factors, and designated sensitive operations — account recovery among them — require satisfying an on-chain MFA policy before they execute.
Because the policy check happens in the state machine rather than in a client app, MFA cannot be stripped by a malicious interface: a transaction that doesn't carry the required factors simply fails validation.
Why it exists
The design rationale
Key compromise is the dominant failure mode of blockchain accounts. For a chain that carries identity records and payment streams, single-signature security is not enough — MFA enforced by the protocol itself closes the gap between wallet security and account security.
Interactions
How it connects to the rest of the chain
No module stands alone — these are the protocol surfaces this module depends on or serves.
Key concepts
Terms that matter here
- Factor enrollment
- Registering an additional authentication factor against an on-chain account.
- Step-up authentication
- Requiring stronger factors for higher-risk operations like recovery.
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