Two-step verification is one of the most important tools we have at our disposal to protect our data on the web. And on the occasion of International Safe Internet Day, we do not want to miss the opportunity to reiterate how necessary its implementation is as soon as possible service; and one of the most notorious data has been provided by Google.
The company reported that it has already activated two-step verification for more than 150 million users worldwide, and that this has caused a 50% drop in hacks to their accounts, compared to those that still do not use this measure. of security.
“This decline speaks volumes about how effective having a second form of authentication can be in protecting your data and personal information,” they explained from Google.
Let’s remember that those from Mountain View announced in May of last year, during the celebration of World Password Day, that the two-step verification system would be activated by default in all their accounts. Finally, this measure became effective at the beginning of November.
While Google isn’t the only company to offer two-step verification, it’s one of the longest-running companies. The ability to verify a Gmail login, for example, has been available for more than a decade; and over time it has evolved to other platforms from the same company. On YouTube, for example, this extra layer of security has been made mandatory for content creators who are part of its Partner Program.
Other companies like Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Microsoft, PayPal, Payoneer, and Dropbox, just to name a few, also have this extra security measure in place.
Don’t downplay the importance of two-step verification
One of the most serious mistakes we can make when browsing the web is assuming that our data is protected and that we will never be hacked. The belief that such things only happen to others can have dire consequences, especially for those who use the same password on multiple services.
Therefore, never disparage the importance of two-step verification. Security measures of this type are becoming easier to configure (usually directly from your account settings in each service), and they tend to work quite similarly, although with some subtle differences.
Two-factor authentication systems originally relied on SMS. This delivered the codes that were used to confirm a login on an unknown computer. However, many companies have already chosen to discard this modality because very effective techniques have been developed to intercept communications, such as SIM swapping.
Currently, more and more platforms are opting for a two-step verification system based on push notifications. Thus, for example, when trying to access an account from another computer, we receive a warning on the mobile to accept or reject that login.
The last method is also not perfect, of course; For this reason, many specialists recommend using applications that generate single-use codes with a duration time to log in. The main exponents in this segment are Authy and Google Authenticator, not only for their ease of use but also for their effectiveness.
And if you want to go a little further, you can also opt for physical security keys. They connect to your computer or smartphone through a USB-C connector, or wirelessly via NFC.
As you can see, you have no excuse to evade two-step verification. It is a simple tool, but highly proven to prevent hacking and data theft on the web. If you’re not already using it across your core online services, what better time than International Safer Internet Day to start?
