For years, passwords have been used as a form of reliable authentication to access all kinds of services. However, the growing cybersecurity threats are forcing to accelerate the adoption of complementary methods that seek to reduce risks online. Google will soon take an important step in this regard by activating two-step verification by default for all accounts by the end of the year.
This means that all users should familiarize themselves with this authentication method which provides an additional layer of security on Google accounts. If you are among the vast majority of people (90% in 2018) who still do not use two-step verification, we are going to explain why it is important, how to activate it and how you should change your security practices to make their lives more difficult for hackers.
Today having a “strong” password no longer guarantees the security of our accounts . Increasingly sophisticated malware campaigns, social engineering techniques, or data breaches are making it easier than ever for passwords to end up in the hands of malicious actors. You may have heard someone say: “I have nothing interesting for someone to want to hack me.” The truth is that we can all be victims. Let's see why.
Credit: Google
Google is rightly betting on 2-Step Verification
Imagine you have a strong password, as has long been recommended, with numbers, symbols, and letters. But unfortunately you are the victim of a security problem. If you don't have two-step verification, the attacker could block access to your Google account . Also, view, copy or delete your emails, photos, contacts and everything you have stored. And that's all? There's no more. It could also impersonate your identity before your contacts, for example to ask for money on your behalf, or before a bank.
The situation is further aggravated when you reuse the email address and password on different platforms. In this case, the attackers could not only compromise the security of the source account, for example Google, but also those of Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, Instagram, work accounts and others. However, with two-step verification, if a hacker manages to bypass the security layer of your password, they will necessarily need your smartphone to access your account and perform any of the aforementioned actions.
Credit: Google Activating 2-Step Verification for a Google account is very easy. With you logged in, click on your profile photo in the upper right corner and click on Manage your Google account. Then in Security> Verification in two steps. There you can choose one or more options that will allow you to verify that it is you when you try to log in. They can be through text message, notifications on other devices or with verification apps such as Google Authenticator (Google Authenticator) or Authy.
You will also have the ability to generate 10 unique activation security codes. These will serve you in case you do not have access to the aforementioned devices, since once you activate the two-step verification, you will continue using your password, but yes or yes you will have to verify your identity by entering the code received in the alternative method chosen . But, for example, if you lose your phone, you can use one of these codes, which you should store in a completely safe location.
