What is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)?
-
2FA
- 08 Dec 2020
Two-factor authentication (2FA) protects organizations from unauthorized access to data by requiring an additional level of authentication beyond usernames and passwords. Common 2FA types include one-time passwords (OTP) sent through a separate communication channel; biometric factors such as a fingerprint, retina scan, or facial or voice recognition; and an authenticator app or hardware token that provides a time-sensitive code.
Plivo’s two-factor authentication offering, which uses SMS- or voice-based OTP authentication, can secure accounts, prevent takeovers, and protect high-value transactions.
Why should I implement 2FA?
Security best practices call for organizations to use 2FA before granting users access to their digital assets. With account takeovers on the rise, passwords alone don’t provide the level of security organizations need. Having a separate, unconnected authentication channel makes it difficult for malicious actors to compromise secure systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted many customers and employees to remote, mobile, virtual, or distributed locations, which makes 2FA even more important.
How does Plivo 2FA work?
- When a user signs up or logs in to a customer’s application, the application calls the Plivo API.
- The Plivo API sends a numeric code to the user’s mobile device via SMS message or voice call. Our APIs sync these codes with the customer’s application to authenticate the login, even when a device is offline.
- The person with the mobile device enters the verification code they received into the application.
- The application verifies that the code is the same as the one that was sent, and if it is, gives them full access.
Why should I choose Plivo as my 2FA provider?
Plivo enables users to access their accounts and files from multiple devices thanks to our ability to provide consistent high deliverability of time-sensitive 2FA SMS and voice calls.
To ensure timely delivery, Plivo leverages deliverability reports from a global network of test nodes and our Feedback API, enabling us to proactively route messages to the most effective carrier. We offer senders a direct route to end users, with a one-hop maximum, and without route dilution or blending. Users can make calls and send SMS messages to every country in the world, avoid delays, and avoid paying for repeated, undelivered messages.
By the way, we use 2FA ourselves to protect access to the Plivo console. Our documentation has more information on how to implement 2FA within your own applications.
