Double verification is imposed as a system to keep our accounts safe.
Just as the door of the house protects us from those who want to enter without permission, access to accounts is the barrier between cybercriminals and the information that is in them. Hence it is important to ensure that this 'input' is as robust as possible. Scammers are constantly coming up with new ways to trick victims, so respond by improving the security of devices and their owners' sensitive information.
To do this, experts advise double verification, also called double factor verification: the user must confirm his identity in at least two different ways. Either with a password or a PIN, through a key generator or with the fingerprint or facial recognition system. Among the methods for performing this additional check, some are easier to use than others:
Ratify from the mobile you want to acces.
It is one of the many options that you have, for example, Google to verify the identity of who wants to log in. After entering the email and password, a screen appears on the phone that you have indicated informing you that you are trying to access the account. The user must indicate if he is the one who wishes to enter or not.
Use the phone or tablet to obtain a one-time security code received via SMS.
It's simple because the message arrives in a few moments and you just have to enter the code that appears on it in the account you want to access. This method does not meet the requirement of two-factor authentication and is currently not recommended because anyone can see the SMS on the mobile screen even if it is locked if notifications are activated. In addition, it has been found that cybercriminals can impersonate the sender and intercept SMS.
Receive a verification code in 'apps' like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator or Authy. It is one of the most popular methods lately.
Use a recovery code.
There are services, like Discord, that provide various codes when two-step verification is activated. When you want to access the account or if you forget the password, one of these codes is used, which is then unusable. It is a very reliable system, but you have to make sure that this list of codes is stored in a safe place: losing them means you no longer have access to that account.
Biometric measurements: after entering the PIN or password, you must use the fingerprint or facial recognition to access the account. Or a physical element: like a USB key that can be transferred to the mobile via Bluetooth.
Applications that help keep the mobile safe.
Conan Mobile: the National Cybersecurity Institute of Spain (Incibe) offers this free tool that checks the security of mobile applications and device settings. It makes recommendations to the owner to improve it and notifies him when any may jeopardize the integrity of his information. It classifies the dangerousness of the 'apps' using tools to detect viruses and by the list of permissions they declare. It also warns of connections to insecure Wi-Fi networks, detects the sending of SMS and calls to special rate numbers and has an AntiBotnet service to detect security incidents caught with Botnets from the phone.
