Twitter has recently announced that it will be discontinuing support for its two-factor authentication (2FA) method via SMS text messages on March 20, 2023, and the service will be available to Twitter Blue subscribers only which costs $8. This has left many Twitter users concerned about the security of their accounts. However, there are several ways you can continue to secure your account even after the discontinuation of SMS-based 2FA.
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Why is two-factor authentication important?
Two-factor authentication is an essential security measure that requires users to provide two forms of identification to access their accounts. In the case of Twitter's SMS-based 2FA, this involves sending a code via SMS text message to a user's phone number, which is required to log in to the account. This provides another layer of protection to your account, making it more difficult for hackers to obtain access.
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How to secure your Twitter account after the removal of SMS-based 2FA
Here are some alternative ways to secure your Twitter account after the discontinuation of SMS-based 2FA:
Use an authenticator app: Authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, and Authy generate a code that is required to log in to your Twitter account. Authenticator apps are widely used and are a reliable alternative to SMS-based 2FA.
Use a security key: Security keys are hardware devices that provide secure authentication. Twitter supports FIDO2 security keys, which are widely used and supported by popular browsers.
Use a one-time password via email: Twitter also allows users to receive a one-time password (OTP) via email. This method requires users to have access to the email address associated with their Twitter account.
Use a strong and unique password: Using a strong and unique password is one of the most important things you can do to protect your Twitter account. Make sure your password is at least 12 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Enable login verification: Login verification is an extra security feature that requires users to enter a code sent to their phone or email address when logging in to their Twitter account from a new device or browser. This feature is available on Twitter's web and mobile applications.
All of this implies that customers who already have 2FA activated have until Monday either subscribe to Twitter Blue in order to keep SMS-based 2FA, or disable it and set it up using third-party apps.
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