An easy way to (better) protect yourself.

Two factor authentication is like typing in a username, a password and then putting a metal key into your computer.

A username and password are fairly routine.  The problem with using just a password is that someone could potentially eventually guess it.

If you use a password and a metal key, someone would have to guess your password and physically take your key.  Your password is “one factor” and the key is the “second factor”.

That’s pretty much it and I don’t want to make it more complicated than that.  If you’d like to read more on the subject, you can search for terms such as “Yubikey” or “Fido”.

You may also see two factor authentication referred to as “2FA”.

There are various “hard keys”.  Receiving a text message on your phone is another way to do two factor, but it’s easier to hack.  A physical object in your possession is good and much more secure than just a password.