Techniques are described for authenticating a user to access information through an application executing on a computing device. Multiple authentication methods may be used in combination to authenticate the user with greater confidence than authentication provided by a single method, and to verify that the user is a live person and not an image or video. Facial recognition may be used in conjunction with heartbeat detection, via video analysis, to verify the user's identity and confirm that the user is live. Facial recognition may include capturing an image of the user's face and comparing certain points on the face with previously gathered information regarding the user. Heartbeat detection may include capturing a video segment of the user, stabilizing the captured video data, applying motion magnification techniques to the stabilized video data, and analyzing the stabilized, magnified video data to determine a presence of the user's heartbeat.