2FA, which stands for 2-factor authentication, verifies the user from their phone or security key in addition to creating a standard password. The second verification can be done via SMS or Google Authenticator . In this article, we will first explain why 2FA is important, and then we will talk about the advantages of Google Authenticator over SMS.
With the spread of the Internet, the number of hackers, that is, people who access information that does not belong to them without permission by misleading the system providing services, is increasing day by day. According to Cybercrime Magazine’s research, the economic damage caused by hackers was $ 3 trillion in 2015, while this damage is expected to reach $ 6 trillion in 2021.
Mobile application developers are also investing and creating solutions to protect themselves from hacker attacks. So what can we do to protect our own accounts from intrusion? What are the measures we can take against hackers?
In the past, the biggest precaution we could take to protect our own accounts from hackers was to use passwords that were difficult, complex and contained different characters . By not using a password that we have created on other accounts, we can increase the number of measures. However, in everyday life, it is not easy to remember and manage a unique password for each user account . Application developers are also switching to a two-step verification system to easily protect the user from such attacks. In a two-step verification system, a hacker doesn’t just need to know your password, they also need access to your mobile phone or security key.
If we detail the advantages of 2FA with examples, it is possible to say that 2FA is more secure than SMS protection. The SMS delivered to your phone reaches you through the operator and service providers, which can increase the risk that will occur. In addition , hackers can copy your sim card and easily forward the SMS code forwarded to you. We recommend using Google Authenticator to protect yourself from these types of risks.
How Google Authenticator Works
With the Google Authenticator application, passwords are created in a certain algorithm on your phone just for you. This cipher block is not transmitted over the Internet, but Google stores its own highly secure servers with custom-made algorithms. The password block that forms on your phone occurs on these servers at the same time. After you enter your username information and password, and enter the code generated by Google Authenticator, the app confirms it from the authenticator servers. So you can protect your accounts with this method, which is more secure than SMS verification.
Of course, security measures will increase with the development of technology, but you can secure your account with a difficult password consisting of different characters and 2FA
You can watch how to log in to icrypex.com with 2FA in the video on our YouTUBE channel!
