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There are some differences between factors, and there are even differences in how one-time codes are generated and sent to you.
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It works by combining two of the factors listed above, so you might use your password as your main factor and a 2FA app as a secondary factor. Most websites support 2FA in some form, including Amazon, PayPal, Reddit and all major social media platforms. Something you are: your fingerprint, face scan, etc.Something you own: your mobile device, a 2FA app or a 2FA hardware key.Something you know: usually your password.They’ll also need your second factor.Īlthough multi-factor authentication tools like OneLogin consider everything from the IP address of the login attempt to the time of day, there are three main factors most online services use: For example, if you have a compromised password in a data breach, the attacker won’t be able to unlock your account with your password alone. Instead of using just a single factor to authenticate your identity, like a password, you use two different factors, usually your password and a one-time code sent via SMS or email.īy spreading the risk across two factors, it’s much less likely that an attacker will be able to unlock one of your accounts. Two-factor authentication - or two-step verification - is a security feature that adds an extra layer of protection to your online accounts. More commonly, 2FA is vulnerable to account recovery attacks and phishing schemes. Two-step authentication can be hacked through man-in-the-middle attacks, though this is becoming increasingly less likely.
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