Technology is a great way for businesses to increase productivity and stay relevant in today’s economy. But individuals and businesses need to be aware that today’s technology can leave you vulnerable to cybercrime if you don’t take the right precautions. It’s highly recommended by industry experts that you use two-step verification (i.e. a two-step log-in process) to protect your individual and business interests.
One of the most important things we want our clients to know is how to keep their information safe. Unless you are using the best security technology available to protect yourself, you are vulnerable to hackers. Security technology like two-step verification is your best line of defence against cybercrime.
This is especially crucial for business owners. A lot of the time, business owners store their clients’ personal information in their systems as well as their own, and therefore have a duty to keep their clients safe. Two-factor authentication on systems like Xero means that, even if several staff use the same account or password, the account is still protected by a randomly generated code.
Two-step verification means that you can only log onto your account on a new device using your trusted devices, most often phones. For example, when you try to log into your Gmail account on a new device, a number will appear on the screen of the new device. You will receive a notification on your trusted device asking you if you are trying to log in, and if you go into the Gmail app it will prompt you to select the number displayed on the new device out of three options.
Apple devices
Although “two-factor authentication” and “two-step authentication” are usually interchangeable, Apple uses the terms to For Apple devices, the iOS 11 software update will include a feature called “two-factor authentication”, which will allow you to request an offline authentication code to be generated on a trusted device using Settings. Two-step verification and two-factor authentication are very similar, in that they both shift the focus away from passwords and onto randomly generated number keys. However, two-step verification allows you to receive a code from Apple via SMS, while two-step authentication means that only a trusted device can generate the code.
