An authentication app has the advantage of not needing to rely on your carrier; codes are sent to your phone based on this shared secret and the current time. Codes expire quickly, usually after 30 or 60 seconds. Since an authentication app doesn't need your carrier to transmit codes, they will stay with the app even if a hacker manages to move your number to a new phone. An authentication app also works when you don't have cell service, another bonus. Using an authentication app requires a little extra setup but offers better protection than SMS. To set up an authentication app, you will need to install the app on your phone and then set up a shared secret between the app and your accounts. This is usually done by scanning a QR code with your phone's camera. Once set up, however, an authentication app saves you the step of needing to enter a code; you simply tap on the app's notifications to log into one of your accounts.
Many online services such as Dropbox, Facebook, Google and iphone 8 black wallet folio case Instagram let you create backup codes, which you can print out or screenshot, That way if you lose your phone or don't have a cell signal, you can use a backup code as a second authentication factor to log in, Just make sure you keep your printout of backup codes in a safe place, No security product can claim to offer perfect, foolproof protection, but by combining two of the above three types of authentication, 2FA makes it harder to get into your account, You not only make your accounts more difficult to attack, but you also make your accounts less attractive targets..
Think of it in terms of home protection. If you have a home security system, you lower the odds of a burglary. If you have a loud, large dog, you also lower the odds of a burglary. If you combine a security system with a big dog, then your house becomes even more difficult to break into and a less attractive target. Most burglars will simply find an easier mark -- one without an alarm and the potential for a dog bite. Similarly, two-factor authentication prevents a large portion of hackers from targeting your account; many will simply move on and find easier accounts to break into. And should they target you, they'll need more than just your password. In addition to your password, a hacker would need to also have your phone -- or gain access to the tokens placed on your phone by the authentication mechanism via a phishing attack, malware or activating account recovery where your password is reset and 2FA is then disabled. That's extra work.
I don't know if I would call it a hassle, but 2FA does require an extra step when logging into your accounts, You'll iphone 8 black wallet folio case need to enter your password, wait for a code to arrive via SMS, and then enter that code, Or if you use an authentication app, you'll need to wait for notification to arrive that you can then tap to verify it's you, I use 2FA authentication on many of my online accounts and find it less of a hassle to use than using a strong password or passphrase that combines upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, And while I'm on the topic of strong passwords, let me state that using 2FA as an excuse to use weaker, easier-to-enter passwords is a bad idea, Don't weaken your first factor just because you have added a second factor..
Many sites and services offer 2FA but call it by a variety of names. Below are quick primers for enabling two-factor authentication on some of the more popular online destinations. Sign in to your Amazon account, click Account & Lists at the top right and then go to Your Account > Login & Security Settings and click the Edit button for Advanced Security Settings. Click the yellow Get Started button and sign up to receive codes via SMS or an authenticator app. You'll also need to add a backup phone number to lessen the odds of getting locked out of your account. For more, see this Amazon help page.