In this short post, we will cover; in simple terms; what two-factor authentication (or 2FA) is, and why enabling it is a crucial step in protecting your digital security.
1) What is 2FA?
Two-Factor Authentication, as the name implies, is a security measure that requires using two different factors to authenticate users across different accounts.
Basically, 2FA enables another layer of protection after your password to ensure that you and only you can access your accounts.
There are 3 main types of authentication factors:
Something you know: This is usually the traditional username and password combination.
Something you have: This is typically a temporary code or token that is generated on or sent to a device you possess. This code is often generated by a dedicated app or sent via email or SMS.
Something you are: This involves biometric data, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or retina scans.
In a 2FA system, the user needs to provide two of these factors to access an account or system. For example, a common implementation is combining a password (something you know) with a one-time code generated by a mobile app (something you have). This adds an extra layer of security, making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to gain access to accounts, even if they have the password.
2) Is 2FA Useful?
We’ve extensively preached the importance of 2FA here on ShieldMe, as enabling two-factor authentication is one of the easiest yet most effective steps in stopping unauthorized access to your accounts.
We greatly emphasized the use of 2FA in our post titled: “5 Simple Steps to Secure Your Social Media Accounts”, where enabling this measure was the second tip that we offered to help you shield your online presence.
If you stop reading this blog post right now and go set up 2FA on any account that you own, you will be more protected than the majority of people you know
In our full email guide titled: “Email Security 201”, we started by laying the foundation of our emailing by choosing a reputable email provider. One of the critical criteria for choosing was that the email provider supported 2FA.
Look for email providers that support 2FA. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide a second verification method
Additionally, step 4 in our email journey which was adequately titled: “Construct a drawbridge”, was solely dedicated to enabling 2FA on your email client.
You can't have a fortress without a drawbridge; that wouldn't look half as cool.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) operates as the first line of defense against unauthorized entry. It acts like a drawbridge, ensuring that the person who's entering really needs to be there.
While diving deep in the sea of authentication methods, we stumbled upon many combinations of the three previously mentioned types of authentication. This section talked about the different ways that 2FA can be implemented, and focused on combining traditional and biometric methods to ensure security.
By combining traditional factors (passwords, PINs, smart cards, etc.) with biometric authentication, organizations can benefit from the strengths of both approaches. Traditional factors provide familiarity and ease of use, while biometric authentication adds a higher level of security, as biometric traits are unique and difficult to replicate.
Section 9 of “The Magic Of Password Managers” gave you practical, easy-to-follow tips for setting up and using a password manager effectively. Our third tip was enabling 2FA in your password managers if you can.
Many password managers offer two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code in addition to your master password.
Lastly, we playfully critiqued your lack of 2FA use in “10 Password Mistakes you’re Probably Making”, with “Not using two-factor authentication” being listed as Mistake #8.
Two-factor authentication (or 2FA) is like having a secret handshake with your account - only you and your device can unlock it. It's the ultimate defense against sneaky hackers who try to break in and steal your private information. Not using it is like ignoring the most powerful tool in your arsenal, or being down a Queen in chess from move one.
In conclusion, yes. 2FA is super important and useful in the protection of your online accounts. It helps protect against a variety of cyber threats, enhances the overall security posture of systems and accounts, and is widely recommended for individuals and organizations alike.
— We hope this small guide was enough to help you understand what 2FA is, and to help you take proactive action regarding your online security. Stay safe, ShieldUp!
Great article!
One thing I don't see discussed enough in regards to 2FA is how important it is to either layer up or have some way (however much a pain) to bypass it in case it breaks. This obviously weakens the value of it, but imagine this: any time you need to get money out of your bank account, you need to put in a code (SMS, TOTP, whatever) in addition to the usual. However, for some reason, that system breaks - the SMSs aren't arriving, the TOTP device has broken or catestophicalyl desyncs, whatever.
All of a sudden, you can't get money out. Now, in the real world you can probably go into the bank with some ID or whatever and get access or get it fixed or whatever, but in the case of things like email and such we can see this being harder to fix.
This isn't to say 2FA isn't good! It really is great! But like any security system you have to make sure of the problems it introduces and how to address them (TOTP, back up your seeds, SMS be able to change the number if you really need to, email definitely keep access to the inbox involved, etc)