Items tagged with 2fa
It looks as a large number of Nintendo Switch users are under attack. And no, we're talking about verbal barbs from gamers asserting PC dominance, but from hackers trying to infiltrate Nintendo accounts. The primary target for the hackers appears to be saved credit card details attached to these accounts, which they then use to make actual game purchases or in-game purchases. Compromised accounts have had payment details stolen with both saved credit cards and linked PayPal accounts. The hackers have been particularly interested in using the ill-gotten funds to purchase VBucks in-game currency for the ever-popular battle royale game Fortnite. The problem has been growing in the...
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Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible is generally recommended—it helps keeps the hackers at bay, even if your password has been compromised. Better security is a reward in and of itself. Electronic Arts is taking things a step further, though, by gifting a free month of Origin Access who lock down their EA accounts with 2FA. The publisher calls this "Login Verification," but it's the same as any typical 2FA scenario—when you log into your account, EA will send a unique code to your preferred email address, or via text message to your mobile device. You can also opt to receive an automated phone call. Whatever the case might be, that additional step is required...
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It feels like we hear about a new cybersecurity attack nearly everyday. Hackers use phishing, keylogging, and targeted attacks to gain access to sensitive information. Is there anything we can do to prevent what appears to be the inevitable? According to a recent study by Google, basic account hygiene can greatly reduce hijacking. Google conducted a year-long study alongside researchers from New York University and the University of California, San Diego. They studied wide-scale attacks and presented their findings at the Web Conference in San Francisco. The purpose of the study was to determine whether basic security measures could truly decrease the success rate of hackers. The study determined...
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Using two-factor authentication (2FA) is generally regarded as a superior way of securing an account than using a password alone, but even adding that extra layer of security comes with its own unique risks. This was highlighted in a recent security breach in which tens of millions of SMS text messages were exposed. Some of those text messages contained 2FA codes. All of those text messages sat on a server belonging to Voxox, a communications firm located in San Diego, California. Voxox is wholesaler of SMS, voice, VOIP, and cloud communication services for small businesses. One of the things it does is convert 2FA codes into text messages, which are then routed through cell towers and ultimately...
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Using a strong password is the accepted standard for securing accounts, but in some instances, it's simply not enough. That is where two factor authentication (2FA) comes into play. If you want to use 2FA to protect your Google account, you can—Google is now selling 2FA Titan security key bundles to the public at $50 a pop. It's listed as a bundle because you're getting two pieces of hardware. One of them is a standard USB security key measuring 1.7 x 0.8 x 0.1 inches (LxWxH), with NFC support, and the other one is a Bluetooth security key measuring 1.8 x 1.2 x 0.3 inches (LxWxH). You can loop a lanyard through either one (or both), or slide them onto a key ring. Between the two, the bundle...
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