When it comes to dancing with danger, major sites seem to prefer a less hip but more stable partner while shuffling to the two-step verification beat: your mobile phone. See, when internet accounts tend to get compromised, they are oftentimes illegitimately accessed from a new computer (or unknown device).
Google provides a 2-step verification, to ensure you don’t get Scroogled on any of your many Google profiles, and this verification tool should be one of the first you implement if you’re concerned about security issues. With your email, contacts or photos protected from hacking, this gives you peace of mind that you won’t be blocked you from accounts while sending out harmful emails or worse. The verification code can be sent to your phone via text, voice call or a mobile app.
Twitter Login Verification
Has your Twitter account ever been hacked? Twitter is now offering you a way to verify your identity before sending out that next tweet. This is sure to keep unscrupulous characters from trying to cut in with your partner (aka account) during one of your favorite songs on the dance floor. Just go to your profile settings and select “Require a verification code when I sign in.” Next, you’ll be prompted to verify that your phone can receive messages via a quick test, and then boom, every time you sign in Twitter will send you a code needed to access your account via SMS text messaging to your phone. This seems like a really slow dance to take every time you show up at Twitter, but is certainly safer for high risk accounts like those maintained by celebrities and major news outlets.
Two-Step Verification on LinkedIn
LinkedIn will also send you a code via SMS before letting you into the dance, once for each device. And for your extra protection, LinkedIn will notify you via email every single time your account is signed into on any device.
Having your Facebook account hacked can potentially be very embarrassing. Unfortunately over 600,000 accounts are compromised each day. Facebook also has a login approval system that provides a two-step security feature that works using your mobile device.
Dropbox
Dropbox also offers a two-step verification partner to give you that extra security layer to protect your important files. Given the purpose of this site is to store your critical data, as opposed to being a social network with frequent status updates, this is a highly recommended option for those with any security concerns.
Microsoft
Even Microsoft showed up for a cameo at the two-step verification party. You can now lock up your Outlook inbox, Xbox Live profile, Windows Phone, and more.
Yahoo! Mail
You can also enable two-factor authentication for your mailbox, maybe your tumblr soon too!
Amazon Web Services
Amazon provides an extra layer of security for its S3 cloud and other storage services via the Google Authenticator app.
WordPress
Has your blog ever been hacked into? WordPress has a Google Authenticator plugin that gives you two-factor verification also using the Google Authenticator app for Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices.
Kim Dotcom
Hours after Twitter let the world know it was attending the two-step verification smasher, Kim Dotcom immediately claimed he invented the moves back in the late 90s. Kim claims he has a patent on the whole process and accuses everyone using it of infringing. And Dotcom’s patent appears to hold water – like every good party, the cops just might get called. Filed back under his birth name Kim Schmitz, it’s fairly old with widespread coverage. In his patent application, he illustrated the concept of two-step authentication, detailing how an access code could be sent via SMS or pager. Despite writing up a patent that included pagers, you have to give Kim some props if this holds up. As an added twist, he also appears to be looking to gain sympathy for his larger cause: avoiding extradition to the US in his legal copyright battle over Megaupload.
Google, Facebook, Twitter, Citibank, etc. offer Two-Step-Authentication.Massive IP infringement by U.S. companies. My innovation. My patent
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) May 22, 2013
No matter what, this two-step dance appears to be going on for good now. You can also use services like LastPass to manage multiple passwords across all your favorite networks while also making use of two-step verification privileges for each! In the future, at the D11 conference there is also talk about using digestible vitamin pills and electronic tattoos as other forms of possible verification methods.
Are you looking to implement this extra security to protect your most important accounts?
