Comparative Security Analysis of FIDO2/WebAuthn versus Traditional Multi-Factor Authentication: A Systematic Review

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) has become a

cornerstone of modern cybersecurity, yet traditional implementations

remain vulnerable to sophisticated phishing attacks.

This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of

FIDO2/WebAuthn cryptographic authentication versus traditional

MFA methods including SMS OTP, TOTP, push notifications,

and email verification codes. Through systematic review

of 81 peer-reviewed academic papers and industry reports,

we evaluate security effectiveness across ten critical attack

vectors and six security dimensions. Our findings demonstrate

that FIDO2/WebAuthn achieves a security effectiveness score

of 8.8/10 compared to 2.0-3.8/10 for traditional methods, providing

90% phishing resistance versus 20-30% for conventional

approaches. We quantify attack vector vulnerabilities, analyze

the security-usability trade-off, and provide evidence-based recommendations

for enterprise deployment. The results indicate

that FIDO2/WebAuthn represents a fundamental paradigm shift

in authentication security, offering 4Å~ superior protection while

maintaining acceptable usability. This research contributes to the

growing body of evidence supporting phishing-resistant authentication

as the next generation standard for identity verification.