google two factor authentication for mac desktop

Google Two Factor Authentication Desktop Mac Or IOS

Make sure you are using version 5.2 or later of the iOS apps, which shouldnt be a problem since they were released several months ago. 1.

If you want to understand more about the differences, read AgileBits article TOTP for 1Password users, specifically the section named Second factor No.

Google Two Factor Authentication Desktop Mac Or IOS

Someone might be able to get your username or password, but they should only be able to get that third thing if they have unfettered access to your Mac or iOS device right now.

That third thing is what is most people mean most of the time when they are talking about Two-Factor Authentication, Two-Step Verification, or Time-based One Time Passwords.

They could get into your email, reset your passwords across the Internet, and generally make your life miserable.

If your email account is protected by 2FA, having your username and password wouldnt be enough, they would also need to get ahold of your iPhone (or iPad, or Mac, or whatever other device you use for 2FA).

Without that, even having your password wouldnt let them access your account.

It may not make it impossible to break in, but it will make it more difficult.

Then came Better Two-Factor Authentication with Authy for iOS and OS X which was prettier and had more functionality.

The Mac app would receive the codes from your iPhone and make it so that you could easily copy and paste them into your web browser.

Unfortunately, this feature didnt work very reliably in real life.

First you had to have a new Mac that had the lower energy Bluetooth 4.0.

Then, the iOS app had to be active for the Mac app to connect.

When the iOS app quit or the Bluetooth connection was lost, the Mac app would complain about not being able to connect.

Since 1Password already runs securely on Mac and iOS devices, you can have access to your 2FA codes on any of your Mac and iOS devices without having to mess around with Bluetooth (which means that it will work on any Mac, even ones without Bluetooth 4.0).

For me, it also means that I can delete an entire app from my iOS device home screen, since I no longer need either Authy or Google Authenticator, I can just use 1Password.

It might appear that this new situation is less secure because the 2FA codes are available on more devices.

However, in reality, the practical difference is nearly non-existent.

If you had the username, password, and one of those emergency codes, you could access the account without the 2FA device.

So, to me, it seems like I am not giving up any significant security advantage that the old system might have had, but I am getting more convenience from the new system.

Obviously youll have to decide for yourself if this system meets your needs andor the I.T.

Personally, this feels sufficiently safe, given that both of my iOS devices (an iPhone 5s and an iPad Air 2) have Touch ID enabled and use a passphrase (not PIN).

Those are additional layers of security on top of what I consider to be a very secure master passphrase for 1Password.

I think Ive done a reasonable job of protecting myself and my various accounts, especially since I consider myself fairly low-risk when it comes to the chances of me being specifically targeted (no one looking for nude pictures or government secrets or vast financial resources is going to come after my accounts).

Make sure you are using version 5.2 or later of the iOS apps, which shouldnt be a problem since they were released several months ago.

Google Two Factor Authentication For Mac Desktop