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W3C WCAG · WCAG-3-3-AUTH

W3C WCAG 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (Level AA) - New in WCAG 2.2

Ensure authentication does not require cognitive function tests (memorization, puzzles, calculations) unless an alternative method, assistive mechanism, object recognition, or personal content recognition is provided

HIGHRequirementDesign defaultsTechnical standardIn forceApplies from 5 October 2023

Where this comes from

Provision: 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (Level AA) - New in WCAG 2.2

Instrument: W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2

Citation: W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Success Criterion 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum), Level AA, W3C Recommendation 05 October 2023

Text version: WCAG 2.2

Read the official text ↗

Who it applies to

It applies when all of these are true:

  • Service requires/offers account registration
  • Service is likely to be accessed by children under 18

What engineering work it implies

  • Granular Consent ManagementFoundation only

    Implement fine-grained consent collection with purpose-specific toggles and easy withdrawal.

Sample acceptance criteria Landfall generates for this obligation:

  • No authentication step requires a cognitive function test (puzzle, memorization) without an alternative
  • Password fields allow paste and work with password managers, passkeys, and browser autofill
  • An alternative method (email link, passkey/WebAuthn, OAuth) is available wherever a cognitive test exists
  • Object-recognition or personal-content CAPTCHAs provide an accessible alternative
  • Unit tests cover the core logic (aim for >80% coverage on new code)

Evidence an auditor expects

  • User-interface evidenceUser testing

    Accessible authentication for children

    Authentication methods accessible to children per WCAG guidelines

Questions people ask

Does W3C WCAG 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (Level AA) - New in WCAG 2.2 apply to my service?
It applies when Service requires/offers account registration; Service is likely to be accessed by children under 18.
From when does this apply?
W3C WCAG 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (Level AA) - New in WCAG 2.2 applies from 5 October 2023. Its current status is: in force.
What evidence does an auditor expect?
Accessible authentication for children.

Find out whether this one lands on you

Landfall's pre-scan answers the applicability question above for your product in minutes, then turns every obligation that applies into traceable engineering tickets with a citation chain your auditors can follow.

Run the pre-scanAll W3C WCAG obligations

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