Safety and scamsBeginner
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
A second step after your password, such as a code or a physical key, before an account lets you in.
- What it means
- A stolen password alone is then not enough; SMS codes can be intercepted with a SIM swap, while an authenticator app or a hardware security key is stronger.
- What to watch
- Which second step an account uses, whether SMS can be swapped for an app or a key, and where the backup codes are kept (offline, not in a photo or a cloud note).
- How Compass-Alpha uses it
- Background only; not used in any figure on Compass-Alpha.
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