Twitter is now allowing third-party apps for 2-factor authentication to provide Information Security to all its users. Thus, this service will now allow a second layer of authentication and protection for Twitter Accounts rather than allowing their users just needing a username and password to log-in which could make their accounts vulnerable to hackers.
In 2013, the social networking giant first added a 2-factor authentication service via SMS which delivered users a 6-digit log-in code for authentication.
But now, Twitter is allowing the use of a third party app such as Google Authenticator, Authy, Duo Mobile for 2-factor authentication instead of SMS text messages. So, from now on the third party 2F authentication apps can be installed on Apple and Android devices by users. And it will help them in generating a one time password for authentication which helps in keeping the account isolated from hackers.
Twitter decided to pull off it’s usual 2F SMS Service because usage of an SMS based 2FA has been declared as ‘Unsafe’ by US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
NIST also said in its official statement that usage of cryptographically secure apps or hardware security keys like Universal Second Factor(U2F) Tokens adds more advantage to the security of the account than the usage of 2FA SMS Service.
Hence, on taking all these factors into account, Twitter has decided to allow third-party apps for 2-factor authentication for its respective users.
Users could take advantage of the new 3rd party apps feasibility by logging into their respective accounts, going to the menu tab>profile icon>settings>privacy>account tab>Security> go to the “Review Your Login Verification Methods” tab to get started.
