Twitter Limits SMS-Based mostly 2-Issue Authentication to Blue Subscribers Solely

Feb 18, 2023Ravie LakshmananAuthentication / On-line Safety

Twitter has introduced that it is limiting using SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) to its Blue subscribers.

“Whereas traditionally a well-liked type of 2FA, sadly we have now seen phone-number based mostly 2FA be used – and abused – by unhealthy actors,” the corporate said.

“We are going to not enable accounts to enroll within the textual content message/SMS methodology of 2FA until they’re Twitter Blue subscribers.”

Twitter customers who haven’t subscribed to Blue which have enrolled for SMS-based 2FA have time until March 20, 2023, to modify to an alternate methodology akin to an authenticator app or a {hardware} safety key.

After this cutoff date, non-Twitter Blue subscribers could have their possibility disabled.

The choice strategies “require you to have bodily possession of the authentication methodology and are a good way to make sure your account is safe,” Twitter famous.

Provided that SMS has been the least secure form of 2FA, the most recent enforcement is prone to power folks to maneuver in the direction of safe types of authentication.

Based on Twitter’s own data, solely 2.6% of all energetic accounts have enabled no less than one type of 2FA. SMS accounts for 74.4%, adopted by authenticator apps (28.9%) and safety keys (0.5%).

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