This article will talk about popular solutions for two-factor authentication (2FA). This is a two-stage access control technology, when the user needs to additionally confirm his identity after entering a password and login.

Getting an access code to your phone in text message format is not a bad idea, but special applications for two–factor authentication can make the authorization procedure safer and easier.

Now on the Internet you can find a lot of stories of users whose accounts have been hacked. Security in the global network is of great importance. One level of protection may not be enough when it comes to maintaining complete confidentiality. A complex password, of course, protects user data, but it can still be hacked.

In popular applications for social networking, as well as in other programs where you need to log in, there are additional security features, such as two-factor authentication, which is also often called multi-factor authentication or MFA.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an additional layer of protection. This helps to ensure the complete security of the user during authorization.

What is two-factor authentication?

Two–factor authentication (or two-step verification) is a security parameter with which a user can protect their accounts on the Internet, additionally confirming their identity during authorization.

Instead of using only one way to verify your identity, such as a password, with 2FA, you also need to specify a one-time password (OTP) sent by SMS or email.

Thus, to gain access to your account, you usually need to specify only a username and password. This is called a one-step verification. All you need to do is just enter your credentials and log in. This authorization method is unreliable. Anyone can access the email address. Hackers are also easily able to crack a password if it does not comply with security standards and is simple enough (for example, “123456”).

As a result, 2FA was invented. Even if someone has the user’s email address and password, they will not be able to access the account. Two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of protection by requiring authorization to provide a set of credentials that only the legitimate account owner has access to. As a result, unauthorized persons will not be able to access confidential data.

Many well-known websites and services support two-factor authentication to ensure secure login.