I have previously written on Multi Factor Authentication. Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) is a more secure login solution than merely Single Factor Authentication. Single Factor challenges your access based on one trait, usually a password. Multi Factor challenges for at least two traits, including:
- What you know. This could be a password.
- What you have. This could include your phone with an authentication app, or the ability to receive PINs via text.
- What you are. This could include a retinal or fingerprint scan. Yes. Retinas (the back of the eyeball) are as unique as fingerprints.
I am advocating you adopt Twilio Authy as your primary Multi Factor Authentication solution. although Google Authenticator is a big name, here’s a summary of why you should adopt Authy…
The UP side with Google Authenticator
I praised Google Authenticator in How Hacks Happen © 2020. Google Authenticator is an app that holds tokens for websites where you must login with at least two factors. My token for LastPass presents a 6-digit PIN that is valid for 30 seconds. When logging in to LastPass, I enter my username and password, then LastPass prompts me for a PIN. I check Google Authenticator to see what the current PIN is. I type the six digits and press (Enter). This login strategy works because LastPass prompted me what I know (password) and what I have (a LastPass token on my phone).
The DOWN side with Google Authenticator
I painfully learned Google Authenticator is not as wonderful as the Google Marketing Machine wants us to believe. When I swapped out my iPhone X for an iPhone 12, I transferred all my apps. That includes Google Authenticator. While the app transferred, my tokens did not. The LastPass token and other vendors’ tokens did not survive the transition. I had to contact LastPass and the others to ask them to reset my multi factor authentication. No fun at all. This is why I switched.
The solution is Twilio Authy
That painful episode led me to Twilio Authy. Twilio Authy is another Multi Factor application that holds tokens, much like Google Authenticator (above). The big difference is Authy stores tokens in the Cloud. You can run Twilio Authy on a phone, on a tablet and on a desktop app. The tokens reside in the Cloud and synchronize with your devices.
Let’s return to my iPhone swap adventure. Had I been using Twilio Authy at the time, I would have logged into the Authy app on my new iPhone and viola, my tokens would appear. No loss at all. Easy.
Twilio presents this multiple device solution at https://authy.com/features/multiple-devices/.
But Mark, can I use it on my desktop computer? Yes, you can. I am running Authy Desktop on a Windows 10 box. If a website prompts me for the PIN I know will be visible in Authy, I merely launch the Authy desktop app to find the token and copy the PIN.
As more and more vendors mandate Multi Factor Authentication, choose Google Authenticator as your preferred vehicle. Follow the setup instructions for Google Authenticator in Twilio Authy.
Twilio Authy is free. Once again, we see the best solutions do not have a price tag.