What is two-step verification? | Definition from TechTarget (2024)

FAQs

What is two-step verification? | Definition from TechTarget? ›

"Two-factor authentication (2FA), often referred to as two-step verification, is a security process in which the user provides two authentication factors to verify they are who they say they are.

2-step verification adds an extra layer of security to your Google Account. In addition to your username and password, you'll enter a code that Google will send you via text or voice message upon signing in.

When Faced With the Question, Is 2-Step Verification Safe? The answer is a sure yes. However, it is not foolproof. There should be additional measures to further prevent hackers from infiltrating the user's accounts.

Signing in with both a password and a second step on your phone protects against password-stealing scams. Even if someone gets your password online, they won't also have your phone.

What happens when you turn on two-step verification? If you turn on two-step verification, you'll get a security code to your email, phone, or authenticator app every time you sign in on a device that isn't trusted.

One of the most common examples of 2FA requires a username/password verification and an SMS text verification. In this example, when the user creates an account for a service they must provide a unique username, a password, and their mobile phone number.

Most 2FA methods involve sending temporary codes via SMS or emails, but these can be easily intercepted by hackers through account takeover, SIM swapping, and/or MitM attacks. To avoid these vulnerabilities, businesses should use authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.

Dependence on a second factor: E.g., if a smartphone is misplaced, the user will be blocked from their account. Flexibility: IT leads can choose which second factors to deploy. Resistance to change: If users are unfamiliar with 2FA, it could feel intrusive.

Two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security to the authentication process by making it harder for attackers to gain access to a person's devices or online accounts because, even if the victim's password is hacked, a password alone is not enough to pass the authentication check.

What happens if you forget your 2-step verification? ›

If you don't have another second step or forgot your password. Important: 2-Step Verification requires an extra step to prove you own an account. Because of this added security, it can take 3-5 business days for Google to make sure it's you. Follow the steps to recover your account.

You don't need to have a smartphone, as you can still use Google 2FA with: Passcodes delivered to your phone by text message or automated phone call. We recommend that you use a mobile phone number, as you're more likely to have your mobile phone with you.

Adding a second form of verification dramatically decreases the likelihood of your password being compromised.

If you didn't save your backup codes, and you've lost the phone that you use for 2-factor authentication – try calling your phone network to transfer your old number over to a new phone. You'll need a new SIM card for that, and it could take a day or two for it to activate.

Differences between 2FA and 2SV

Just like every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square, every 2FA is 2SV, but not all 2SV is 2FA. The key difference between 2-step verification vs. 2-factor authentication is that 2FA requires two independent forms of authentication from different categories.

Meaning of two-step verification in English

the use of two ways of proving who you are when you are doing something online, for example when paying for something: We advise you to make use of the two-step verification on your account - this ensures that only you are signing in under your account.

Two-factor authentication (2FA), sometimes referred to as two-step verification or dual-factor authentication, is a security process in which users provide two different authentication factors to verify themselves. 2FA is implemented to better protect both a user's credentials and the resources the user can access.

Verification is intended to check that a product, service, or system meets a set of design specifications.

Google announced in May that it would start automatically requiring users to adopt two-step verification as a security precaution when they sign into services such as Gmail. That plan, which the company said would expand by the end of this year to 150 million users on mobile and desktop, has now started.