Everything You Need to Know About Two-Factor Authentication

Chances are, if you’ve ever used social media, online banking, or any other online account, you’ve encountered Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) at some point. We’ve talked about the importance of security at WPX in our knowledgebase – we’ve implemented Hybrid DDoS Protection and brute-force protection, and we’re proactively scanning all sites hosted with WPX. 

All those methods will make sure that your sites and accounts at WPX are safe. However, when it comes to security, you can take one step further. In this article, we will untangle what 2FA is, why it matters, what security it brings, and how to enable it for your WPX account. Let’s get started! 

What Is Two-Factor Authentication?

The simplest definition of 2FA is using more than one factor simultaneously to validate the actress rights of an account – that’s it. This method is also known as Multi-Factor Authentication. 

Two-Factor Authentication

Most of the online services use two-factor authentication to protect their users. It can be set up as multiple factors, but more than two usually make logging in too complicated and slow for the users. 

Put simply, 2FA strikes the perfect balance between keeping your accounts secure and making login easy and convenient.

What Are the Factors That Can Be Set Up to Confirm Access Rights? 

  • Knowledge: Authentication involves providing the correct password, passphrase, numeric code, graphic pattern, or answering a secret question.
  • Ownership: This involves having a physical item like a key, USB token, phone, or bank card, or accessing a phone number or email account to receive a one-time code.
  • Inherent Property: Authentication can also be based on unique user traits such as fingerprint, voice, face, DNA, iris pattern, or even characteristic typing style on a keyboard.
  • Location-based information: Authentication may rely on the user’s physical location, such as being within a specific place like the company’s office when accessing corporate resources.

Just a heads-up: for multi-factor authentication to really do its job, it needs to use different factors to confirm you’re you. So, if a service asks for two passwords or repeats the same type of question, like two secret answers, it’s not quite the extra layer of security we call 2FA. It’s all about mixing things up to keep your accounts safe and sound!

Why Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Matters?

Two-factor authentication is a must nowadays, as one piece of information can be easily obtained from people who want to harm your online accounts. For example – knowledge of some information can be reliable as long as somebody does research on your social accounts or somebody who knows you well decides to get access. Also, you type in your passwords using different network connections all the time. Sometimes, those connections are public and may not be secure. In those cases, having a second way for verification will provide the integrity of your account. 

In today’s digital world, our personal and professional lives increasingly depend on the internet. From social media to banking and e-commerce, we handle sensitive information daily. Unfortunately, this data is also a prime target for cybercriminals. Password breaches are one of the most popular types of attacks. Hackers employ a variety of ways to acquire usernames and passwords, including phishing, brute force assaults, and even keyloggers.

That is why we recommend the usage of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), which protects against these threats.

How Does Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Work?

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring two forms of authentication to log into an account.

The first factor is something you know, such as a password or PIN. The second factor is receiving and verifying a unique code sent via e-mail or created by an authenticator app like Google Authenticator.

Why Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) at WPX Hosting?

Ensuring the security of your account and websites is just as important as their performance. Here are some reasons why you should enable 2FA on your WPX Hosting account:

  1. Protect Your Account from Unauthorized Access: By enabling 2FA, you add an extra layer of protection to your WPX Hosting account. This makes it harder for cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access even if they manage to steal your password. According to Google, accounts with Two-Factor Authentication are 99.9% less likely to be compromised than those without this security measure.
  2. Protecting Against Phishing Attacks: As we know, phishing attacks attempt to trick the users into revealing their login credentials. These types of attacks have become increasingly sophisticated and even can bypass traditional password protection. However, with 2FA, if the hacker manages to obtain our username and password, they will still need access to your second factor – something that’s much harder to obtain through phishing attacks.
  3. Protecting Multiple Devices: Two-Factor Authentication is not limited to a single device or account. It may be applied to numerous devices and services. This means you can use 2FA not only to protect your WPX Account but also to protect your email, social media, banking, and other accounts.
  4. Reduced Reliance on Passwords: 2FA reduces the need to rely on difficult and often changed passwords. While strong passwords are still required for initial access, 2FA serves as a backup security layer. This can improve your experience by minimizing the need to remember many difficult passwords.
  5. Peace of Mind: Knowing that your WPX Hosting account is protected with an extra security measure provides peace of mind. Now, you can focus on managing your website without worrying about the risk of unauthorized access.

How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on Your WPX Hosting Account?

We have prepared different guides depending on the method you prefer to use.

First method using your email:
https://kb.wpx.net/how-can-i-set-a-two-factor-authentication-for-my-wpx-account/ 

Second method is using Google authenticator:
Instructions for Android: https://kb.wpx.net/how-can-i-set-up-two-factor-authentication-android 

Instructions for IOS (Iphone): https://kb.wpx.net/how-can-i-set-up-two-factor-authentication-ios/

We have added an extra layer for account retrieval, if you ever lose access to your 2FA application and can’t login.
You can read more about it here: https://kb.wpx.net/what-are-recovery-codes-and-why-do-i-need-them/

Conclusion

Two-factor authentication is a powerful tool that enhances the security of your WPX hosting account. By enabling 2FA, you protect your WPX account and yourself against unauthorized access and enjoy peace of mind knowing your data is secure. Enabling 2FA on your WPX Hosting account is quick and easy, making it a must-have.

Don’t wait any longer – enable 2FA today!

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Vladimir Nenkovski
Vladimir Nenkovski

Vladimir is the lead of the WPX WooCommerce project. His long journey as a Technical Support Team Manager introduced him to all kinds of WordPress and WooCommerce services and their impact on your website. If there is a solution to a better performing website, he will find it.

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