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 ...

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

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 ...

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) ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

I have long encouraged the use of two-factor authentication (2FA) or two-step verification (2SV) with online accounts whenever possible (for more about the difference, see “Two-Factor Authentication, ...