Two-Factor authentication

Computer security is a function of convenience, and everyone is about to get a taste of a new level of security.  Since a lot of people have a hard enough time logging in as it is, this should prove to be a support nightmare for IT guys like me.  I’ve had 2-factor auth turned on my main GMail account for over a year now, and have to keep a copy of my application specific passwords in my wallet, since there is simply no way in hell I can remember them.  

I also like to flash ROM’s on my Android phone at a pretty decent clip (at least once per week, a brand new ROM is installed on my phone) I’ve managed to master that by restoring my backed up copy of Google Authenticator with TiBu, but for normal people, this is going to be a real PITA.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but we can be sure that two-factor auth is going to be riding shotgun in the IT vehicle for some time to come.  I’m not looking forward to resetting manager’s Google accounts because they have exhausted their login failure count šŸ™

If you haven’t seen it yet, this is a great read, and why things can break down when you don’t usetwo-factor auth:

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/

 

Posted via email from Bruce Garlock – bgarlock’s posterous

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