For all the benefits the internet offers, it also has its fair share of risks. If you are not careful, your site might get tampered and violated. Even if you set up the most reliable system, there is a small chance that hackers would find a way to gain access. So how do you stay one step ahead of them?
Good news is there’s a way to throw them off: two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA and multi-factor authentication).
What is two factor authentication?
This is a security system that not only requires a password and username but also an added factor that only the user has. This could be an authentication/verification code or even a physical object. It is entirely up to the company what the two-factor authentication would be.
How does it work?
The good thing about two-factor authentication is it can be customised depending on the nature of your business or the service provided. To give you an idea of what you can work with, you can learn from these companies:
The search engine’s two-factor authentication activates whenever a user signs up in an unfamiliar device. Google has several authentication methods. Users could either choose to receive their authentication code through text or phone call. The company also developed an Authenticator App so that users could still verify their web activities while offline. If you receive a notification through email regarding unfamiliar online activity, you could then decide what to do next. The ideal step would be to change your password.
Similar to Google, Paypal also notifies the user of suspicious activity and requests for a confirmation by sending an SMS with a verification code. But if the user fails to authenticate, then the site immediately sets the account on security hold. This method was intended so that it prevents funds from being maxed out mistakenly.
What are the perks of two-factor authentication?
This method adds a layer of security in a customised but still practical way. This customisation also throws an element of surprise, which comes in handy where hackers are concerned because they always rely on staying one step ahead of any program or system. Each network system are not all the same but they do have similarities, which is what hackers exploit. However, the second authentication adds a layer of unpredictability that sets off hackers. The authentication method is also simple enough for users to understand and implement.
In conclusion…
Two-factor authentication is a simple but still efficient method of security. And when you have a website that deals with sensitive information, this is definitely useful for keep data that extra bit safe.
