How to secure your email, social, or any account online with two factor authentication?

No matter what type of account you have, whether it be social media, email, financial or banking accounts, it is important to make sure that you are keeping your data secure. One way to do this is by enabling two factor authentication (2FA).

What is two factor authentication (2FA)?

Two factor authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security that adds a second step to the login process. This means you’ll need a code generated by an app or device to log in, as well as your password. The code could be texted to your phone, for example, or sent via an authenticator app like Google Authenticator.

Two-step verification is another common term for this kind of security feature, but it should be noted that there are some differences between 2FA and two-step verification. In general terms:

• 2FA requires more than just your password; it relies on something only you have access to (your mobile device).
• Two-step verification only requires one additional factor beyond entering your password — usually either an SMS message or email containing codes — which unlocks access if someone knows what they’re doing.

Step 1 – How to enable Two Factor Authentication(2FA)?

To enable Two Factor Authentication on your account, go to your account settings and look for “Two Factor Authentication” or “Security.”

Next, you should see a prompt asking if you want to turn on two factor authentication. If not, scroll down the page until you see it. Click “Enable”.

The tool will ask for a phone number so that it can send a code via SMS whenever someone tries to log into your account from an unrecognized device. You can also choose email or authenticator app as options instead of SMS if those suits your preference better.

Step 2 – Choose Delivery Method for Code

These are the most popular 2FA applications.

Google Authenticator (Android and iOS App)

Lastpass (Android App and iOS App You can also download desktop applications for your Windows, macOS or Linux)

Microsoft Authenticator (Android App and iOS App)

Authy by Twilio (Android App and iOS App You can also download desktop applications for your Windows, macOS or Linux)

2FA Authenticator (Android App and iOS App)

Duo Mobile by Cisco (Android App and iOS App)

Note: We only recommend the once we tried, tested, used and currently using.

Step 3 – Secure your Code for Sign in

Now that you’re all set up with two factor authentication, it’s time to secure the code for sign in.

• Use a strong password. A good general rule is to use passwords that are at least 12 characters long and include numbers, letters, and symbols (e.g., “p@ssw0rd123!”). If possible, also consider using a password manager to manage your passwords and avoid storing them on your device in plaintext or writing them down on a scratch pad or piece of paper (this defeats the purpose of having 2FA!).
• Never share your password or write it down anywhere visible to anyone else. This goes especially for the 2FA codes themselves—make sure no one can see them when they appear on screen after logging into an account protected with 2FA!

Step 4 – Sign in with 2FA Code

• After you’ve installed your 2FA app, open it up and make sure to enter your login credentials.
• On your phone, enter the 6-digit code generated by the app (the one you set up in Step 3).
• Click Sign in when you’re finished.

Two factor authentication will help secure your account from hackers

Two factor authentication (also known as 2FA, two-step verification, or login verification) is an extra layer of security that requires two pieces of information to log in to your account. This means that even if someone has your password and username, they still won’t be able to access your account because they don’t have the second piece of information: something you know (your password) and something you have (the backup code).

Using 2FA for all your accounts will help prevent hackers from accessing any sensitive information on them—whether it’s an email address, social media profile or banking accounts. It also protects against phishing scams because the hacker needs more than just your password in order to gain access. If a hacker tries guessing at what kind of answers these questions might be with their own guesses using random combinations like Qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm1234567890!@#$%^&*()_+~^?|/-\{[]}?, then they’ll likely fail before getting anywhere near guessing correctly. And even if they manage this feat somehow (which again is unlikely), they’ll still need another piece of info after logging in: the one-time code sent via text message or app notification before proceeding further into the site itself.

Important Warning: DO NOT manually delete or remove any accounts from the 2FA app. You might get locked out of those accounts for life.

Go to the security or privacy settings for that service in order to deactivate two-step verification. After that, you have the option of removing that account from the two factor authentication apps or completely uninstalling them.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, it all comes down to your personal preference. Some people like using one-time passwords while others prefer entering a code sent by SMS. There are also other methods that can be used for two factor authentication. We hope this guide has helped you understand how two factor authentication works and why it’s important to secure your accounts with 2FA codes.

 

If you need one of our team member to assist(paid) you with two-factor authentication setup please email us to [email protected] or request for live chat.