2FA Apps To Protect Your Crypto Funds
Do you remember the time when for 10,000 BTC you could only afford to buy a pizza? And now you can buy a car and a house with it! Therefore, as blockchain technology and digital currencies are developing, the safety of crypto assets becomes more and more important. In this article, we will learn about two-factor authentication (2FA) that can help you to protect your crypto wallets.
What Is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)?
Authentication is the process when you need to confirm that you are the owner of the account in two different steps. For sure, an account can be secured with just some complex passwords but there is always a risk that scammers will find it out, for example, if you follow a phishing link. To ensure that your funds are secured, don’t forget to turn on two-factor authentication.
With 2FA you’ll have to go through two steps in order to get access to your account. The first one is usually entering a password. And for the second step you can use different confirmation methods, such as:
· SMS. The code will be sent to your phone. However, this is not the safest option for the second verification step, as hackers can get access to your SIM-card via some malware, for example.
· Email letter. The code will be sent to your email. But be aware that if hackers have your exchange login information, they might also have your email login information.
· Hardware-based authentication. Probably the best solution, because all codes for your funds will be on a physical hardware device which you can keep in a safe place.
· Special applications. These apps constantly generate one-time codes for logging into your account. Some of them can even work without the Internet connection.
Probably now the most convenient thing to use for 2FA is a special app. You can install it on your device and start working on it for free. Let’s take a closer look at apps for 2FA.
What 2FA apps can we use?
#1 Google Authentication
Google Authenticator is a very popular app due to its simplicity. It just generates codes and nothing extra, so it’s really easy to figure out how to use it. You won’t find any settings in here — if you would like to change the interface or use some other features, you’ll have to install another 2FA app.
#2 Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator offers more features. It conceals codes on the screen so no one could accidentally see them. In order to see the code you need to tap on the screen. Also you can easily get access to the app from different devices — you can keep your tokens (that’s the name of the code generator for a specific account) in the cloud. Plus, to log into Microsoft accounts you can just press the ‘accept’ confirmation button in the app.
#3 Twilio Authy
App for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
Authy offers many convenient features that other 2FA apps don’t have. For example, you can get access to it from different devices because all your tokens (which generate codes) are stored in the cloud. And don’t worry, codes are encrypted with a password, so your data is protected. You can also set a code for entering the application. There’s one problem in this app — you’ll have to use your phone number for signing up. So if you’re not a fan of the idea of linking your phone to the authenticator, Authy isn’t a good choice for you.
#4 FreeOTP
If you don’t want your 2FA app to take too much space on your device, this is your choice. The FreeOTP app for iOS is only 750 KB, which is nothing compared to the Authy (44 MB). Its interface is simple, but it can hide codes. Plus, there’s an option to add tokens manually if needed.
#5 Duo Mobile
Do you like push messages? Then you will like this app. It made the 2FA authentication procedure very simple: instead of opening the application to copy generated code and then entering it into the input window, the user only needs to press the “yes” button. Also, you can use your smart watch in order to receive push notifications.
Do I really need 2FA app to protect my crypto?
2FA applications help us to properly secure our crypto assets from many threats. They are convenient and simple. Plus, there’re plenty of them so you can choose one that suits you the best for protection of your crypto wallet.
It is almost impossible to get access to your 2FA app. A hacker would have to physically steal your smartphone or (again physically) install malware on your device that allows you to remotely view the screen. Codes from 2FA apps are constantly updating so that no one can access your crypto account. We’re hoping that this article helped you to understand the 2FA better. Be careful and keep your funds safe!
The easiest way to buy or exchange coins is to use SimpleSwap services.
SimpleSwap reminds you that this article is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide investment advice. All purchases and cryptocurrency investments are your own responsibility.
Originally published on our Publish0x blog.
