Today coding platform Github introduced two-factor authentication, one of the many technology corporations planting that additional step among hackers and users who desire to access their account unlawfully.
Github is a coding repository where developers used to build their projects -projects that may turn out to be valued knowledgeable assets. The corporation holds a great amount of delicate data and fairly wishes to guard it preliminary with one of the fragile points of access: the user.
The company declared the execution today, operative instantaneously, joining Twilio ,Evernote and Dropbox, others in implementing the bonus safety layer. When the users will enable this feature, an exclusive code through SMS will be delivered each time when they log into the Github’s site, safeguarding that only they can access their personal account. The objective behind this two-factor authentication layer is that if you can access a unique code on a distinct device, you are more probable to be who you say you are.
This two-factor authentication for Github can be turned on in your account settings. The company delivered distinctive directives for those using command-line Git along with the complete details on their official blog of how to employ the authentication up, but, basically, users can do it through SMS or a devoted verification mobile app — such as Authenticator (for Windows Phone 7), Duo Mobile (for Android/iPhone) or Google Authenticator (for Android/iPhone/BlackBerry).
“We strongly urge you to turn on 2FA for the safety of your account, not only on GitHub, but on other websites that support it,” the company says in its help pages.
For the most part, two-factor authentication can safeguard you from some occurrences, where hackers attempt to pretend you into providing over your data. The faith is that even if you provide the hackers with your login credentials, the hacker still would not have your phone. Unluckily, though, cyber crooks are turning out to be more smart in their phishing efforts and have even cheated some individuals into giving over their two-factor unique codes. In that case, you just have to hope the authentication tokens terminate earlier before your hacker makes use of them.
GitHub hit 3.5 million users’ landmark along with 6 million repositories deposited on its 5th anniversary in April. At present, 4.1 million users are making use of Github and 8.1 million repositories have been stored.
