Two-factor authentication adds a barrier between whoever's logging in and the account by requiring authentication in two ways, such as a computer and phone. This ...

Do you receive login security codes for your online accounts via text message? These are the six- or seven-digit numbers sent via SMS that you need to enter along with your password when trying to ...

In “Two-Factor Authentication, Two-Step Verification, and 1Password” (10 July 2023), I explained that for true two-factor authentication, you needed to acquire your time-based one-time password (TOTP) ...

One-time SMS codes are widely used as the second checkpoint in two-factor authentication (2FA) to sign into everything from banking apps to email accounts. As I've written before, though, SMS is one ...

Microsoft is phasing out SMS 2FA for personal accounts as it pushes users toward passkeys and other passwordless sign-in methods. Here’s what users should know.

Bank security can feel confusing because every account seems to handle it differently. One bank sends a text. Another sends an email. Another asks you to approve a login inside its app. So when ...

Using a strong password is critical to keeping your online accounts secure. However, it isn’t enough on its own in today’s online threat landscape. Even the strongest passwords can fail in the face of ...

Update, Mar. 1, 2025: This story, originally published Feb. 28, now includes details of a new PayPal “no code checkout” scam. Hot on the heels of Google confirming that it is replacing the use of SMS ...

Emily Long is a freelance writer based in Salt Lake City. After graduating from Duke University, she spent several years reporting on the federal workforce for Government Executive, a publication of ...