Last year, Google automatically registered about 150 million users and 2 million YouTube content creators in 2-step verification (2SV). Earlier this week, Google reported how helpful it is for security.
According to the data, there is a 50% decrease in compromised accounts among users compared to those who don't have 2SV enabled.
"This drop demonstrates how effective having a second form of verification can be in protecting your personal data and information," said Guemmy Kim, Director of Account Security and Safety at Google in a press release.
2SV, and a similar protection called two-factor authentication (2FA), are tools for keeping accounts secure in addition to relying solely on passwords or passwords. As the name suggests, users need two steps or some other type of information to log in to the account.
The first step or factor is usually entering a password. In 2SV, the second 'step' could be to enter a code which is sent to the user via text. If hackers enter your password but don't have access to the second factor or step, they can't get into your account. Google can also notify you if someone has tried to access your account.
While 2FA and 2SV don't make accounts 100% unhackable, they both make them much harder to crack. Phones and phone numbers can be stolen, especially if you only use a password. This leaves you vulnerable to an increasing number of hacks and data leaks.
How do I set up 2FA and 2SV?
To set up 2SV on your Google account, complete the following steps as quoted from Pop Science.
Go to your Google Account.
In the navigation pane, select 'Security'
Under 'Signing in to Google', select 2-Step Verification and click 'Get started'
Follow the steps on the screen.