Check whether two-factor authentication is available for your Internet accounts

Relying on passwords alone to keep your Internet accounts safe can get you in a lot of trouble. They may be comfortable to use, but hackers can easily bypass or crack them. Or, even worse in my opinion, steal personal information without you even knowing. A recommended method for minimizing such risks is to enable two-factor authentication.

Two-factor authentication is an added security layer that requires you to use a password and a security code, in order to log in. It is a feature available in the account's settings that is usually not enabled by default. The security code can be delivered via SMS, email or a dedicated app. I have it turned on for every Internet account that supports it.

If you wish to find out whether your Internet accounts have the option to use two-factor authentication, a site called twofactorauth.org provides an extensive list of popular services, and displays the availability of the security feature. If two-factor authentication is not available, the site allows you to contact the company, via Twitter, to ask it to change its policy.

The website groups services by category -- social, retail, email, finance, payments, developer, backup and sync, domains, gaming, cryptocurrency, health, communication, and other. It shows which delivery methods are available, for each service that has two-factor authentication available, and which sites do not offer the option.

Another nice touch is that for each service which does offer two-factor authentication, the website also links to an official how-to guide -- if such a guide exists -- on enabling the option.

The site's developer says he created twofactorauth.org following the debacle surrounding the @N Twitter handle, and a Google search of websites which offer two-factor authentication.

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