Issue #8

Don’t Get Locked out by 2FA

Ahoy there, fellow Netizens! Today I want to ask you a question: If you lost or broke your phone, would you still be able to access your online accounts?

If you have two-factor authentication (2FA) turned on, you might find the answer to that question is “no.” That’s because the most common forms of 2FA use your phone to confirm you really are who you say you are whenever you log in, either by sending you a code via text or having you generate one using an app.

In fact, when I did a survey last year, 40 percent of people said they had been locked out of their accounts by 2FA, many after incidents involving their phones. Yikes!

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent yourself from getting locked out if the worst happens:

1. Save your backup codes! Many online services generate backup codes when you turn on 2FA. These codes can be used to log in if you ever have a problem with your 2FA, so save them somewhere safe.
2. If you use an authenticator app, make sure you have a backup! Different authenticators have different options for backups, so it’s worth looking at the instructions for your app to find out how to set it up.
3. Consider setting up multiple forms of 2FA. Many online services allow you to set up multiple forms of 2FA, so you can set up a backup method. For example, if you like using an authenticator app, you could also set up a security key and store it somewhere safe so you can use it in an emergency.

Which of these options will you choose to ensure you can still access your accounts if something happens to your phone? Or are you planning to do something different? I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time, stay safe out there!