PSA: Activate 2-Step Verification on your Email Account

Note: This post was written in 2015. The advice to enable 2FA is still good, but modern best practice recommends authenticator apps (like Google Authenticator or 1Password) or hardware security keys over SMS-based verification. Also look into passkeys if your accounts support them.

You all should activate 2-Step Verification on all of your most important accounts. Making a new long password is no longer enough to protect your accounts. It’s easier than you think for someone to steal your password. Any of these common actions could put you at risk of having your password stolen:

• Using the same password on more than one site
• Downloading software from the Internet
• Clicking on links in email messages

2-Step Verification can help keep bad guys out, even if they have your password. It takes five minutes at most to activate 2-Step Verification on an account.

Imagine losing access to your account and everything in it. Losing access to these can mean that you lose access to so much personal data and other valuable resources. When a bad guy steals your password, they could lock you out of your account, and then do some of the following:

• Go through, or even delete, all of your emails, contacts, photos, etc.
• Pretend to be you and send unwanted or harmful emails to your contacts
• Use your account to reset the passwords for your other accounts (banking, shopping, etc.)

So, what exactly is 2-step verification?

Signing in to your account will work a little differently. With 2-Step Verification, you’ll protect your account with something you know (your password) and something you have (your phone or Security Key).

Here are some helpful links to help you set it up:

• Google: Google’s 2-Step Verification
• Outlook/Hotmail: Microsoft’s Two-Step Verification
• Yahoo!: Yahoo Two-Step Verification
• Facebook: Facebook Login Approvals
• Check out this site to find out if the sites you use also have 2 step verification: 2FA Directory

Trust me. It will take you a few minutes and will save you a lot of hassle in the future.

DO IT!