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Should I Use an Authenticator App?

Marcus Vance • • 7 min read
Should I Use an Authenticator App?

Authenticator App (More Secure)
Using an authenticator app to generate your Two-Factor login codes is more secure than text message. The primary reason being, it's more difficult for a hacker to gain physical access to your phone and generate a code without you knowing about it.

Are authenticator apps good?

Though unlikely, it's possible that a malware-infested app running on your phone could intercept the authentication codes produced by a phone's authenticator app. ... So, to summarize: (1) You should use multifactor authentication for all your online accounts. (2) Authenticator apps provide better security than SMS codes.

Why you should never use Google Authenticator?

Since the provider has to give you a generated secret during registration, the secret can be exposed at that time. Warning: The primary concern with using a Time-based One-time Password like the Google Authenticator is that you have to trust the providers with protecting your secret.

Marcus Vance
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Marcus Vance

Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.