Which of the following is NOT part of the Five Steps to Authentication?

The correct answer is that "something you forgot" is not one of the established factors in the Five Steps to Authentication. The framework of authentication typically includes three primary categories: something you know (knowledge-based factors like passwords or PINs), something you have (possession-based factors such as smart cards or tokens), and something you are (biometric factors like fingerprints or facial recognition). Additionally, there is a fourth category often referred to as "something you do," which pertains to behavior-based factors like keystroke dynamics or the way you interact with devices.

While the concept of forgetting an authentication factor is certainly relevant in practical scenarios—such as struggling to recall a password—it does not constitute a formal category of authentication. The purpose of the authentication framework is to ensure that the verifying party has access to specific, reliable credentials, and forgetting does not establish an authentication method. Therefore, "something you forgot" does not belong in the standard categorization of authentication factors.