what is otp

OTP stands for "one-time password". It is a password that is valid for only one login session or transaction, on a computer system or other digital device. OTPs are more secure than traditional (static) password-based authentication because they avoid several shortcomings associated with them. OTPs can be automatically generated numeric or alphanumeric strings of characters that authenticate a user for a single transaction or login session. They can be used to replace authentication login information or may be used in addition to it to add another layer of security. OTPs can be generated using pseudorandomness or randomness to generate a shared key or seed, and cryptographic hash functions, which can be used to derive a value but are hard to reverse and therefore difficult for an attacker to obtain the data that was used for the hash. OTPs can be implemented using hardware, software, or on demand. It is important to note that OTP can also mean "one true pairing" in fandom culture, which refers to a fan-made couple.