Google to automatically enroll users in two-factor authentication

Google has announced that two-factor authentication (2FA) will soon be enabled by default for some user accounts. This new addition is to protect users from online security threats, regardless of how strong or complex, their passwords may be. So if you see 2FA enabled on any of your Google accounts, this doesn't necessarily mean that your password is weak. "Soon, we'll start automatically enrolling users in 2SV if their accounts are appropriately configured," said Mark Risher, Google's director of product management, identity and user security, in a blog post. The post adds that you can check the status of your account in Google Security Check.

Google has explained on the blog that 2FA is one of the best ways to protect their accounts and save them from password violations. So even if you have a very strong password, it's a good idea to keep 2FA turned on whenever possible. The second form of verification, usually confirmed by SMS or in the app, gives users the ability to verify that they are the person who is trying to log in. Also, if you use 2FA, it is a good idea to use an authentication app for the second layer of verification instead of SMS, as messages can be intercepted.

Additionally, you can also consider using a password manager. Yesterday we told you what a password manager is and how it is valid; you can read the full article on tips and tricks to keep in mind when it comes to passwords. But in case you're not going to click that, a password manager can help you create unique and strong passwords for all your different logins, and it can remember them for you too.

You can also use an actual physical key that Google sells in their store called Titan. The tech giant has also introduced an option for Android smartphones that allows them to serve as security keys and have implemented this feature on iPhones. As a result, searches for "how secure is my password" increased by 300% in 2020, shares Google. This highlights the growing importance of online security for users, mainly when most of us work from home and online.