Two-factor Passwords - The easiest route to stronger online security

By adopting two-factor passwords, we can easily enhance online safety without having to learn complex software or memorise multiple impossible passwords.

What Are Two-factor Passwords?

We’ve all heard of two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security for your accounts by requiring that you prove two things before being granted access to your accounts:

1. Something that you know – your login credentials

2. Something that you have – your mobile device

Two-factor passwords work in the same way by providing an extra layer of protection for your passwords. In this case, you need to prove two things before you can access your passwords:

1. Something that you know – your password pattern

2. Something that you have – your password hint

The Security Benefits of Two-factor Passwords

Two-factor passwords enable much stronger online security than any manual or any memory-based password system, for the following reasons:

Two-factor passwords are strong passwords

Two-factor passwords are only ever strong. This is great for security because strong passwords are impossible for attackers to guess.

Two-factor passwords are unique passwords

Two-factor passwords are only ever unique. This is great for security because password reuse is a major cause of account takeover attacks and identity theft.

Two-factor passwords are protected passwords

Two-factor passwords are never stored or recorded anywhere – online or offline. This is great for security because passwords cannot be hacked, stolen or seen by prying eyes.

And as an added bonus! 

Two-factor passwords don’t need to be memorized and so you won’t be forgetting any of them in a hurry.

How Do Two-factor Passwords Work?

In short, two-factor passwords work by combining something that you know – a memorable pattern – with something that you have – a hint published in an electronic or paper book.

Generating Two-factor Passwords

To generate a two-factor password you use the book’s index to navigate to a selected hint, mentally overlay the pattern and read off the password. Unless you have both ‘factors’ – the pattern and the hint – the password remains protected. This means that even if someone gained access to your book of hints, they wouldn’t be able to access any of your passwords.