For the past decade, experts have stressed to us the importance of a strong password.
We now have upper case, lower case, numbers, letters and symbols.
The unfortunate truth however is that for many of us, this still simply is not enough.
With data breaches on the rise, chances are that your username and password for many online sites have been compromised at one point or another.
We now need to ensure that we pick passwords more carefully and simply don’t use the one password across all platforms.
With these reasons in mind, it is clear to see why additional security measures may be required to protect our precious access and data.
Therefore, we are seeing a massive increase in the use of 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication).
Strong passwords: what is 2FA?
2FA is a method whereby even with the correct username and password you cannot have access until you confirm with another device such as your mobile phone.
If you use internet banking or MyGov this is most likely a text message that asks you to input a four to six-digit code texted to you.
It's worth noting that nobody really enjoys having to jump through additional hoops in order to access their day to day tools and data.
This point is particularly emphasised when your trusted device happens to be in another room or location.
Unfortunately, this causes some people to buckle and setup a more “convenient” option for the 2FA such as email.
The challenge here is that when we humans like to use the same password for many things, if your username and password is compromised, your email password may be the same.
This essentially makes your 2FA useless.
As with many things in technology, security is a fine balance between convenience and adequate protection.
If in doubt, simply opt for the more secure and less convenient option.
It is far better to take a few moments extra to log in rather than risk being compromised.
