Two Step Verification - It's an Essential 1st Step

I get this question a lot from various people, even from those that are in technology and should know better: "How can I better protect my personal data?" This question might be about Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn or any other Social Network; it might be for banking, shopping or any other place you spend money online; but the question of protecting your personal data should always be top of mind.

There is an essential first step in protecting your data (I will write about the other steps in future posts) and it is a step that I feel is critical (and most likely under used); 'Two Step Verification'.  Two Step Verification is stronger than using a single password, it works by requiring two different methods to verify you are who you say you are. The most common form of this is your ATM card. Your ATM card is your first form of verification and your PIN is your second. If you lose your ATM card, your bank account is essentially still secured. If you forget your PIN, your bank account is still secured. In order for someone to scam your ATM card, the thief must have BOTH your card and PIN. Make sense?

In the online world, more and more sites are offering TWO Step Verification. Each site works essentially the same way, combining your login with your mobile number to text you an authorization code; I will use Facebook as the example. In Facebook, navigate to your Security Settings, once there, click Edit next to 'Login Approvals':

It is here that you can enter your mobile number to have a text with a security code sent to your device. You can also have Facebook generate security codes for logging in - simply click 'Edit' to set this up. You will also note that you can get Login Alerts when your account is accessed from an unrecognized device or browser, I highly recommend this as well.

All of the social networking sites have this feature; but it is important to note these features are NOT ENABLED BY DEFAULT. You must go into the settings of each and enable this. I know this may seem like a lot to do at first and initially, it may be a bit of a pain. But the pain of having your account hack is far greater than any inconvenience you may experience with these helpful and necessary settings.