Two-step verification: What it is and why you should use it

Verification makes it very difficult for an account or application to be hacked.

• Two-step verification is a way to maintain your social networks with double security
• This prevents bad people from having access to your account
• The process is simple and dramatically decreases the level of hacking accounts

People with bad intentions take ownership of user accounts on a daily basis, so there is a need for a security measure, so the two-step verification system, or double authentication, which asks for a verification code, is now common in many applications and software, especially from the internet and sent to the smartphone. The most common is on social networks, but email addresses and even mobile devices are targets of attacks and have adopted double authentication. Usually, the activation process is quite simple and comes through a code or password sent to the smartphone or email. This drastically reduces accounts being hacked, cloned, and stolen, common situations on Whatsapp,, Youtube,, among other popular social networks, apps, and games.

Among the companies offering the solution is, which also includes the social network Instagram and the WhatsApp messaging app. The Google also allows its user to protect your account, blocking access on the same Android. Apple is another company that helps its users to protect their information. 

Many users do not take the available actions. The reason, often, is the lack of information about the process. 2-step verification makes accounts even more secure. Its activation is very important and can avoid several future problems. Here we will explain what verification is and why it is important.

What is 2-step verification?

One of the ways we found to make accounts more secure was two-step verification. This system is an extra defense mechanism. Its goal is to have one more verification step, to block intrusions from bad people to users' accounts. 

The name is "2-step verification" because you need two different verification codes. The first is usually the user's password, requiring a second security code to access the account. Some applications, like WhatsApp for example, do not require a password but send a code via SMS. In addition to this code, another validation mode is sent before accessing the account. 

2-step verification access acts as an extra temporary password. It is usually sent by SMS, E-mail, code via app, or any other contact that the user has enabled, which is preferred. It depends on each app the password validation mode can be different. 

Verification is optional and must be done manually by the user

2-step verification is offered directly by the application or website, in some cases, even though specific authenticator applications such as Google Authenticator or Authy for example. Each social network, or other platforms, provides this extra security format. It is optional and the user must do the process manually.

Once active, whenever the account is accessed on a new device, verification is activated. The user needs to grant access to allow an unknown device to attempt to access the account. Only after authorization is it possible to view the contents of the account.

How to Use Two-Step Verification

As mentioned, each app or website offers this option. Generally, to enable the option, it is necessary to access "Settings" and go to "Security". Depending on the system, the steps to activate the option may be slightly different.

You need to find the option "Two-step verification" or "two-factor verification", which will be available in the security settings. Just follow the steps indicated on the screen and offer updated data. If the platform used does not have this option, it may not offer the security option.

In case of requesting passwords by SMS, make sure you are registering a mobile number that is active. If you lose access to this contact, make the change to the systems immediately. The same goes for emails and other formats, as they will be used to receive the validation code to enable logging into the account.

Tip: Keep your contacts up to date

This is important because, if you want to change the device in the future, a confirmation will be sent to registered contacts. If the user no longer has access, it is possible that the account cannot be recovered.

Where to enable 2-step verification

Today, most apps now offer a two-step verification option. Some are already better known, as in WhatsApp, but others are not widely publicized. It is worth activating this option whenever possible, or checking in the settings of new accounts if there is an option.

Some places to turn on 2-step verification

• Facebook
• Instagram
• WhatsApp
• Google account (Android)
• iCloud Apple (iOS)
• Discord
• Reddit
• Linkedin
• Telegram
• Amazon

To activate this option is quite simple and fast. It does not prevent use on other devices, it will only ask for confirmation for greater security. Once the process is done, it remains active forever, or at least until it is disabled.

How important it is to enable verification

If you are still not convinced, let's go to some data. According to a survey by the startup PSafe, in September 2020 alone, more than 473 thousand Brazilians were victims of WhatsApp cloning. This number is equivalent to 15 thousand cloned accounts per day. This number could be less than half of the users who used 2-step verification.

Verification is an extra barrier to hacking accounts. Whenever someone tries to hack into the account, in addition to the common verification code, a second factor is sent to a user's account instantly and you can change the password to avoid further complications. For this reason, it is much more difficult for the account to be cloned.

Under no circumstances should verification codes ever be sent to anyone

It is worth noting that, under no circumstances, verification codes should ever be sent to anyone. Many scams come into contact via liaison with the victims. The person says that a validation code will be sent to confirm a promotion or advantage. The user passes, without paying attention to what the code says, and immediately loses access to his account. 

An important tip is to be suspicious whenever a suspicious contact asks for any personal information.