I am happy to have completed my Google / Gmail 2-step verification setup yesterday. It's actually quite simple and only took me about 20 minutes to complete the setup on Google and my iPhone. As part of the process I revoked several connections between my Google and other 3rd party sites, similar to breaking connections between Facebook and applications that you no longer use.
2-step or 2-factor authentication is a technology that allows you to increase the security of your Google account by requiring both something you know (username and password) and something you have (for example a code on an iPhone). The code on my iPhone changes every 60 seconds making it more difficult for a hacker to guess a code before it changes to the next code.
To get started click on this link - Sign in - Google Accounts and click the "start setup" button.
For my "something I have" I installed the Google Authenticator app on my iPhone.
You will need to re-login to all of your accounts across all computers and devices. In some cases you will also need to create a special password when applications do not support 2-step authentication. For example I had to create a special password that my Gmail Mobile uses to authenticate. To create the application specific passwords go to this link - Sign in - Google Accounts. If I ever lose my iPhone it's a simple process to revoke that code so that my iPhone can no longer connect to my Gmail account.
Congratulations, you're one step closer to protecting your Google / Gmail accounts!
2-step or 2-factor authentication is a technology that allows you to increase the security of your Google account by requiring both something you know (username and password) and something you have (for example a code on an iPhone). The code on my iPhone changes every 60 seconds making it more difficult for a hacker to guess a code before it changes to the next code.
To get started click on this link - Sign in - Google Accounts and click the "start setup" button.
I'm using an iPhone but other options include your home phone, Android, or Blackberry for your second factor device. For my "something I have" I installed the Google Authenticator app on my iPhone.
It took me less than 5 minutes to download the app and scan the Q-R code which linked it to my Google account. After the Google Authenticator app is installed tap the + button in the lower right, and then tap the "Scan Barcode" button at the bottom of the next screen.
Click Next and then complete the backup options. First I printed out a page of one time use codes that can be used in an emergency if I lose or don't have access to my iPhone. Put them in a safe place such as a sealed envelope in a safe. After storing my printable codes I also configured my hone phone as an alternate backup device that can receive an automated voice message.
The last step is to click the big blue "Turn on 2-step Verification" button!You will need to re-login to all of your accounts across all computers and devices. In some cases you will also need to create a special password when applications do not support 2-step authentication. For example I had to create a special password that my Gmail Mobile uses to authenticate. To create the application specific passwords go to this link - Sign in - Google Accounts. If I ever lose my iPhone it's a simple process to revoke that code so that my iPhone can no longer connect to my Gmail account.
Congratulations, you're one step closer to protecting your Google / Gmail accounts!
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