Two-factor authentication is a security measure that requires an additional form of identification to be used before accessing your account. It can take the form of a text message with a code or some other type of email verification. This article will explore what two-factor authentication is and why it matters for your protection.
What is two-factor authentication?
Two-factor authentication is a security measure that requires an additional form of identification to be used before accessing your account. According to the seasoned providers of authentication services, it can take the form of a text message with a code or some other type of email verification. More often than not, two-factor authentication is used in conjunction with a password to provide an extra layer of security for your online accounts. As a result, it’s important to note that for two-factor authentication to work, your password must be chosen carefully.
Why does it matter?
Two-factor authentication is not something new. The concept has been around since 2001. However, its use became more prevalent following some high-profile cases of hacking within online communities such as LinkedIn and eHarmony. While it is possible to get around regular login protection, two-factor authentication makes this much more difficult. Since its implementation within online communities across the web, reports of hacking have significantly decreased according to recent studies on the subject. This isn’t because hackers are getting smarter either. Rather, there has been a shift in how individuals are choosing to protect their accounts. By requiring two-factor authentication, it is much harder for hackers to gain access to your account without the necessary information or verification codes.
The main reason why you should consider using two-factor authentication is that it’s an extra layer of security that can help protect your account from unauthorized access. For someone to gain access to your account, they would need both your password and the verification code that is sent to you separately. This makes it much more difficult for someone to gain access without your knowledge or consent.
How to set up two-factor authentication
For you to be able to set up two-factor authentication, you will first need to log into the account where you would like to enable this feature. Once inside your account, look for a security or login section within your settings menu and click on it. This should take you through some steps that help verify who is before enabling two-factor authentication for access into your account.
There are a variety of different ways that you can receive your verification code. You can choose to have it sent to you as a text message, or you can have it sent to you as an email. If you’re using two-factor authentication on your mobile device, then you will likely want to select the option for receiving codes as an SMS text message. On the other hand, if you are using two-factor authentication on your computer or laptop, then it is advisable to select email verification instead. This ensures that even if someone has access to your mobile device and can receive texts while you cannot, they will not be able to gain entry into your account without having physical access to your computer or laptop.
After you have selected the appropriate verification option, follow through with enabling two-factor authentication for your account and click on Save at the bottom of this screen. You should now be able to enjoy an extra layer of security within your online community accounts without any issues.
Online security risks you need to be aware of
Some of the online security risks you should be aware of are not necessarily targeted at users who have their accounts hacked. For instance, an online community or business can experience downtime due to a security breach within their system’s servers. When this happens, an entire network can become inaccessible until the issue has been resolved which means that all of your data could potentially be inaccessible. In this case, a two-factor authentication scheme would not be of much help. However, you will be able to prevent unauthorized access to your account if you have two-factor authentication enabled.
Another common security risk that is often targeted at online community users is a phishing attack. This occurs when a hacker sends an email that looks like it’s from a legitimate source to gain personal information, such as login credentials or credit card numbers, from the user. By using a two-factor authentication system, you can make it much more difficult for someone to obtain your personal information even if they can guess your password.
As you can see, there are many benefits to setting up two-factor authentication for your account. However, the process of setting it up may sometimes be a bit tricky and may require some help from someone who knows how to do it correctly. If this sounds like something that interests you or if you have any other questions about cyber security in general, feel free to contact the professionals who will be happy to answer all of your questions and get started on an action plan today.
