Those of us that care about our online security probably use some form of two-factor authentication to secure our most important accounts, but even the strongest password and the longest authentication code are still subject to something as simple as a phishing attack, which is why so many have switched to hardware security keys. Google helped to create the Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) hardware authentication standard, and now it's releasing its own product to consumers: the $50 Titan Security Key.
Read MoreInstagram is finally rolling out support for two-factor authentication apps
With a billion monthly active users and immense cultural influence, it's surprising that Instagram is only now rolling out a fairly standard modern security feature: support for two-factor authentication apps. Still, following the better-late-than-never mentality, the the roughly eight-year-old social platform announced the feature is now rolling out, giving its users a better way to secure their logins. Along with this much-anticipated change come new public info pages about large Instagram accounts, and an easily accessible verification request form.
Read MoreGoogle’s 89,000+ employees have had zero phishing incidents since switching to hardware security keys in 2017
Phishing attacks are deceptively successful against less experienced users, but even those that consider themselves reasonably technical can occasionally fall prey to the simple approach. According to a recent report by Krebs on Security, Google and its employees aren't among the 76% of businesses that have been victims of phishing attacks in the last year. In fact, not one of the company's employees work accounts has been successfully phished since 2017, thanks to hardware 2FA security keys.
Read MoreAndroid Messages 3.2 adds 2FA code copy shortcuts [APK Download]
Two-factor authentication is a great way to make your accounts more secure, but using SMS messages for the codes is a bit of a hassle: request code, switch apps, copy code, switch apps, paste code (or read and remember the code, but what is this, the 1840s?). Android Messages has a new trick that makes the process a little easier: it now parses 2FA codes from texts and presents the option to copy them with a single tap.
Read MoreG Suite admins can now adjust web session durations, force 2FA prompts for every login
By default, G Suite web sessions are automatically signed out of after two weeks. But to better tailor to each company, Google is now allowing G Suite admins to specify a more precise session length from a dropdown list. Additionally, admins can also now force two-factor authentication prompts to pop up on every sign-in for better security.
Read MoreAT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile reveal details about 'next-generation' two-factor authentication
It has been proven time and time again that using SMS for two-factor authentication isn't very secure. While it's certainly better than having no 2FA at all, working around it only takes someone fooling a carrier into sending them a SIM card meant for you. Likely due to so many of these accidents occurring, all major US carriers began working to improve mobile 2FA last year.
Read More[Update: Now in stable] Authy adds fingerprint support for app protection in latest beta
The internet is a dangerous place, and two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the best ways to keep your accounts secure. It's a real pain to manage, though. Authy makes 2FA slightly less annoying, and it's getting a long-awaited feature today in the beta. You can now secure the app with a fingerprint.
Read MoreLastPass' 2FA Authenticator app found to be partially insecure, fix incoming
A few days back it was revealed by a security researcher in a post on Medium that the LastPass Authenticator app for 2FA key generation wasn't entirely secure. Access to the keys was ostensibly secured by a PIN/fingerprint, but a workaround was found that allows anyone with the ability to launch an activity on the device, including other installed applications, to access those codes. LastPass has fixed this problem in an update today.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
Twitter can finally do two-factor authentication without SMS
In this age of data breaches and keylogging malware, passwords might not be enough to secure your accounts. That's where two-factor authentication (2FA) comes into play. These single-use codes can keep your data safe, but not all services support 2FA in the standard way. Case in point, Twitter sends a text message for 2FA codes even after you set up an authentication app. So annoying, but you can finally turn SMS off.
Read MoreGoogle Authenticator v5.0 adds USB security key support to Chrome and makes copying codes easier [APK Download]
Google Authenticator is one of many two-factor authentication apps available for Android. While Google's attention is more focused on phone login prompts, Authenticator remains a popular choice for having all your 2FA codes for all your accounts in one place. The app has now been updated to v5.0, with a few useful additions in store.
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