Stop Using 2FA

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection to online accounts beyond entering a username and password. But in practice this second layer of security can prove tiresome when you have to wait for a verification code to be sent to you by text message or email, then type it into the relevant website on your computer.

Thankfully, there are plenty of alternative authentication methods, which are just as secure – if not more so – and less fiddly. As we reported in our lead news story in Issue 616 (page 6), Microsoft is now encouraging Windows users to ditch their passwords and sign into their PCs using a faster method. Here, we explain the best