Two-factor authentication
| Audio |
|---|
Two-factor authentication is an increasingly common way to protect the online security of personal information. When you log into an online account with your username and password, you're using single-factor authentication. With two-factor authentication, you need something extra to access your accounts, like an SMS code sent to your mobile phone, or something physical like a fingerprint. If you need verification code sent to your mobile phone to authorise activity on your bank accounts, then you're already using two-factor authentication. This extra layer of security afforded by two-factor authentication makes hacking of any of your accounts much harder. Apple, Google, Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon all offer two-factor authentication, and encourage users to adopt it.Many banks insist on it. While using two-factor authentication makes things more secure, it's not a 100% guarantee of security. So it's important to adopt and maintain good online security habits. These include, setting strong passwords, not sharing your passwords with others, and not leaving your phone unattended. You might want to also watch our separate videos on how to setup two-factor authentication on Google and Twitter. |