San Francisco Dec 21 (IANS) Adding an extra layer of security Twitter has announced to let its over 300 million users install third-party apps for two-factor authentication to verify their accounts.
As an alternative to SMS you can now use a third-party authenticator app such as Google Authenticator Duo Mobile Authy or similar installed on your mobile device.
"You ll now be able to use a third party app for two-factor authentication instead of SMS text messages." Twitter said on Thursday.
These third-party apps work independently and generate codes offline to help you use the two-factor authentication.
Twitter however said it will still relay on SMS as two-factor authentication but has now allowed third-party apps as an alternative.
The micro-blogging site has given a step-by-step direction on how to use the third-party apps.
According to The Verge this is an important move because SMS-based two-factor authentication uses static codes.
"That means those codes could be intercepted in the event a hacker or some other malicious third-party has access to one or more alternative ways of viewing messages on a device other than having physical access to it " it added.
With third-party apps like Google Authenticator the codes disappear in about 30 seconds making it a more secure way to verify your identify and access your account.
--IANS
na/ksk
