Google has started forced enrollment in its two-factor authentication program (2FA). Google actually calls it “two-step verification” (2SV). I don’t know why. 2SV requires users to input the correct password plus one other form of identification, which can be a code that appears on your smartphone, a USB stick or other physical security key, or an associated code you find in Google’s Authenticator app and enter in a timely manner.
No matter which method you choose (and you will have to choose a method), it is going to be inconvenient for you. The good news is that it will also be inconvenient for hackers. In 2019, reports from Google and Microsoft concluded that 2FA blocks 99.9% of automated attacks.
One not-so-little thing: if you choose to use the Google Authenticator app, make a mental note that when you switch phones, you must export your Authenticator app settings and ensure you import them to you new device; otherwise, you are going to spend days opening support tickets with websites and apps where you’ve opted into 2FA.
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.