Two-Step Authentication: What It Is and Why You Want It

Two-step authentication or two-step verification or two-factor authentication or 2Fa—all different ways of saying the same thing, which, however you name it, is a multiple-step process for proving it's really you when you log into some of your potentially security-sensitive accounts online. We've all read or heard about the security breeches and the hacking of major websites, like Facebook and Yahoo. So many people, in spite of the known risks, still have passwords that offer no protection from hacking, like 1234 or "Password" or "Fido." Of course, we all know we are supposed to change our passwords frequently, but most of us don't.

Because of all of these dangers lurking online, many websites that hold our personal data have begun offering the option of taking some extra steps to make sure you are who you say you are before you can log into an account. In its simplest form, two-step authentication requires you to sign into a website with your password and then the site generates a one-time code that is sent to you via text message or email. You have a limited amount of time, usually about ten minutes, in which to type in the correct code, after which, you can access your account. The logic is that if someone were to steal your personal account information they would not also have your smart phone or your laptop; hence, they could not reach your bank, your insurance company, your Apple or Google Play account, or any other place where you are likely to have private information.

Many websites, such as Google, Facebook, Dropbox, and Evernote, commonly used by genealogists, offer two-step authentication as a choice you can set up. Each process is slightly different so you'll want to explore the options on each site. Here are some examples from Apple (above) and Microsoft (below). Apple relies on a text message consisting of numbers; Microsoft, however, asks for you to install an authenticator app that reads scanned squares called QR codes.

For a thorough explanation of this security-saving process, you might want to click here to read an article in PC Magazine from February 2018. Although parts of it are a little "techie," scroll down to the sites you actually use to read specific instructions for how to increase your online safety when logging into those websites.