New Study: The One Big Security Trick People Aren’t Using

Security insiders and IT pros have long talked about the security benefits of two-factor authentication (2FA). But a recent consumer survey by LastPass found that 70% of people don’t use or don’t know about 2FA. It looks like many of us are still in the dark when it comes to this simple way to boost security and stop online attacks. In our survey, we asked 2,000 consumers if they used 2FA. Only 30 percent of respondents said they use a solution on some or all of their personal or professional accounts. Another 29 percent said they do not use 2FA at all, while 41 percent said they had no idea what 2FA even was. According to the survey, the leading reason respondents gave for not using a 2FA solution was that the majority (52 percent) weren’t sure how it works. It’s clear that current 2FA solutions fall short of providing a user-friendly experience and simple set-up. If you’re new to the idea of 2FA, the concept is straightforward: Two layers of security are always stronger than one. With 2FA, a second step is required before access is granted when logging in to an account. You combine something you know (your password) with something you have (your smartphone), or something you are (your fingerprint), or somewhere you are (your trusted location). Only once those required pieces of information are supplied is access given. Why is 2FA so much better? Because even if a password is stolen or compromised, 2FA ensures that an attacker still can’t gain access to an account. Plus, the login notification can serve as an alert that someone may be trying to gain unauthorized access. Using a two-factor authentication tool is one of the best ways to keep your data and online accounts safe. And now, it’s also one of the easiest, thanks to LastPass Authenticator. LastPass Authenticator is making it simple and convenient for anyone to follow best practices for protecting their information. Our one-tap push notification makes it dead simple for anyone to authenticate to their LastPass account. It’s fast, convenient, and easy-to-use.