Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is a system that provides extra security to your account by forcing you to
prove you are who you say you are when you attempt to access an account.
The most common form of two-factor authentication is to via text message. The process works like this :
-
.
- You log into a website to do some shopping.
- The website asks you to prove who you are,
- You receive a text message on your phone with a code
- You type that code into the website and continue shopping
.
You can also verify via email, or even have a system call you on a land line with the passcode.
The point of two factor authentication is to make it harder for someone to illegally make purchases or
check your email or other nefarious tasks. If someone has stolen your username and password, they
still can't access your account until they enter a code sent to your email address or cell phone.
You can typically tell a website "This is a personal computer I use all the time" which keeps you from
having to verify all the time, but there are some caveats to this.
If it is a portable device, DO NOT DO THIS.
If it is NOT password protected, DO NOT DO THIS. If it is a device that is used by visitors (like small children), DO NOT DO THIS.
The point of two-factor authentication is to protect you. If you circumvent these protections, you are making yourself less secure.
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