An additional security measure that requires an additional login step is two-factor authentication (2FA).

To make it harder for an attacker to access an account even if they know the password.

Often, the two requirements are something the user has, like a security key or a mobile phone, and something they know, like a password.

What is 2FA?

Two-factor authentication is a powerful security measure that can significantly lower the risk of unauthorized account access.

Yet, it is not error-free. For instance, social engineering attacks and hacking can be used against SMS-based authentication systems.

Also, if an attacker knows both the password and the second factor, 2FA won’t work.

Twitter Is Removing It From Free Accounts

Twitter recently announced that free users would no longer have access to the 2FA feature.

As of March 2023, this security feature will only be accessible to users with active subscriptions.

Due to the possibility that it may be easier for attackers to access free accounts, this decision has received some criticism.

Twitter has promised to make authenticator apps or physical security keys, both of which are considered to be more secure options than SMS-based authentication, available.

Conclusions

In general, using 2FA to protect online accounts is still a good idea.

It’s critical to choose a second factor that is safe and difficult to crack.

Also, it is recommended that you create and save strong, individual passwords for each account using a password manager.

Users can considerably lower the danger of unauthorized access to their accounts by combining these security measures.