ISSUE 62 • ANDROID ADVISOR 93FEATUREShould you use it? An authenticator app strikes the
sweet spot between security and convenience. While
you might find some services that don’t support
authenticator apps, the vast majority do.Universal second factor (security key)
What it is: Unlike SMS- and authenticator-based 2FA,
universal second factor is truly a ‘something you have’
method of protecting your accounts. Instead of a
digital code, the second factor is a physical security
key. You’ll need to order a physical key to use it, which
will connect to your phone via USB, NFC, or Bluetooth.
You can buy a Yubico YubiKey 5 for £42 from
fave.co/2Q09lYo. An NFC-enabled key is recommended
if you’re going to be using it with a phone.Authenticator apps
generate random
codes every 30
seconds and can
be used offline