How Not To Get Hacked: Authentication and Device Locks
About this video
Some accounts, like bank accounts and especially email, are the most important to protect, because a hacked email puts much more at risk. Two-factor authentication requires something you know (a password) and something you have (like a code sent to your phone). You should also lock your phone and computer with strong passwords and set emergency contact information that can be reached even when the phone is locked.
You'll be able to
- explain why email accounts are especially important to protect.
- describe the two factors in two-factor authentication.
- list ways to lock devices safely while keeping emergency contacts available.
Key words
- Two-factor authentication
- A way of signing in that needs two pieces of information: something you know and something you have.
- Security code
- A code sent to something you have, like your phone, used as a second factor to log in.
- Screen lock
- A setting that locks your device so a password is needed to use it.
- Emergency contact information
- Contacts on your phone that others can reach even when the phone is locked.
Transcript
My name is Milan Patel. I work at a cybersecurity company called Blue Voyant. I was at the FBI for about 12 years as an agent in the field and then as a supervisor. Think about which of your accounts are most important for you to protect. Definitely your bank accounts, but also your email.
If your email gets hacked, a lot more of your important stuff is also in jeopardy of being hacked. That's why it's really important you turn on two factor-authentication. Two factor-authentication means you have to provide two pieces of information to access your account.
The two factors are something, you know, like a password and something you have, like a security code sent to your phone. Someone might have your email password, but without your phone they can't get the second security code to login. Be sure to lock your phone and lock the computer with strong passwords.
You might also want to use a screen lock when you finish using your computer or set your device to automatically lock when it goes to sleep. When you set up a password lock on your phone, it's also important to have emergency contact information that can be accessed even when the phone is locked.
That way someone else can call your emergency contacts, even if you can't operate your phone.
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