Passwords have long been the first line of defense for protecting online accounts. However, they are no longer enough on ...

Two-factor authentication adds a barrier between whoever's logging in and the account by requiring authentication in two ways, such as a computer and phone. This ...

Do you receive login security codes for your online accounts via text message? These are the six- or seven-digit numbers sent via SMS that you need to enter along with your password when trying to ...

One-time SMS codes are widely used as the second checkpoint in two-factor authentication (2FA) to sign into everything from banking apps to email accounts. As I've written before, though, SMS is one ...

In “Two-Factor Authentication, Two-Step Verification, and 1Password” (10 July 2023), I explained that for true two-factor authentication, you needed to acquire your time-based one-time password (TOTP) ...

Attackers are now targeting a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in the CrushFTP file transfer software using exploits based on publicly available proof-of-concept code. The security ...

Security experts advise against using SMS messages for two-factor authentication codes due to their vulnerability to interception or compromise. Recently, a security researcher discovered an unsecured ...

Bank security can feel confusing because every account seems to handle it differently. One bank sends a text. Another sends an email. Another asks you to approve a login inside its app. So when ...

Passwords were once considered the backbone of online security, but they've become one of its weakest links. Reused credentials, phishing emails, and large-scale data leaks have exposed just how ...

Update, Mar. 1, 2025: This story, originally published Feb. 28, now includes details of a new PayPal “no code checkout” scam. Hot on the heels of Google confirming that it is replacing the use of SMS ...

Emily Long is a freelance writer based in Salt Lake City. After graduating from Duke University, she spent several years reporting on the federal workforce for Government Executive, a publication of ...