Turn on the second step
Switch on two-step sign-in, use it, and watch somebody with your correct password be politely refused.
Somebody, somewhere, types your correct password. This is what stops them, and it takes two minutes.
Key points
- Two-step means something you know plus something you hold
- It stops a stolen password on its own from being enough
- Codes are for typing into screens, never for reading aloud to a caller
- Email first, then your phone account, then the bank — and keep the recovery codes on paper
What to remember
- The password was right and it did not matter. Hold on to that sentence.
- A code on your phone is for typing into a screen, never for reading down a telephone. No genuine organization will ever ask you to.
- Email, phone account, bank. Ten minutes, and most of the benefit.
Try this
Switch it on for your email today. Look for Settings, then Security or Sign-in — the wording varies — then two-step or two-factor verification.
Practice: Turn on the second step. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.