I Lost My Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Device. How Do I Sign In?
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- Опубликовано: 5 авг 2024
- ⚠️ Fear of second-factor loss prevents some from using two-factor authentication. There's no need to fear that scenario.
⚠️ Losing your two-factor authentication device
Someone who finds your second factor does not have access to your accounts - they still need your password.
If you’re using SMS two-factor: contact your mobile provider and move your phone number to a new device.
Otherwise: access the account using recovery methods, then remove and re-add two-factor with a new code or device.
Updates, related links, and more discussion: askleo.com/167079
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✅ Watch next ▶ Why ANY Two-Factor Is Better than No Two-Factor ▶ • Why ANY Two-Factor Is ...
Chapters
0:00 Lost Two-Factor Authentication
0:55 Two factors means two factors
1:54 Accounts using SMS-based two-factor
3:00 Recovery information
5:00 Then, reboot two-factor
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Signing in becomes a little more inconvenient. (But only once.)
Thanks Leo. Now I know why I printed off those number. JimE
Thanks Leo
That's why I have two cell phones, one just for authentication and the other for everyday use.
you can add more than one number for verification...on Google
When travelling, ensure that you have turned off two factor authentication for your trip. I found that was the safest if not physically carrying around your reset codes.
Up till now, I've held off using 2FA because of worrying about loss of access. Perhaps now I'll give it a go.
I will get 2 hard drives for redundancy though, I have 2 TB nvme too there could be a backup of 2fa seeds too.
Although it does sounds mostly, cuz hard drives start to be worth it from 8-10 TB per value/TB basis
The issue I have found when I use an SMS facility on my phone for 2FA crops up when I travel and use a SIM card from the local country. Now I cannot receive the SMS code request. Yes, I could put my Canada SIM back in my phone for a period of time but the roaming charges for us Canadians are oppressive. When I can, I use an email address for 2FA but it is not always offered. It is now an item on my travel checklist to review what apps and access are critical to my travel (Banks, health, medical, travel sites, etc) and either ensure I have a plan for 2FA backup or turn it off for the trip duration.
All that being said, is using an email address for 2FA a bad idea? (Of course, this assumes no 2FA on my email account)
I only log into my mail provider on a dedicated machine that's on a dedicated router. I use the mail app on my day-to-day desktop. If I were hospitalized or my house burned down, that's when I would need to actually log in to my provider. The provider put 2FA on my account without asking me, using my recovery e-mail. But the recovery e-mail for my recovery email is my original e-mail.
It reminds me of the old song 'Reviewing the Situation' from 'Oliver.' "I think I better think it through again."
In an emergency, we'd be logging in from an unknown device, which means the email provider might require a second factor even if we haven't pre-set it.
Leo, great video, can you add a second hardware key as a backup 2FA? If so how do you do it? A possible video on that process would be appreciated.
Typically yes, but exactly how depends on the service. Usually it's a process of just adding 2FA again.
@@askleonotenboom Thank you!
Hi Leo, quick question: Is it more secure to use sms 2fa together with other types of second fa, like OTP and password, or ditch the 2fa sms completelly?
Generally only one form of 2FA is required.
@@askleonotenboom Thank you Leo. Well i guess otp and hardware solution are better.
Hello Leo,
Thanks for very useful information, but my son is in very tricky situation.
He cancelled the contract with his phone provider and unfortunately the phone provider completely blocked his number and are not willing to send him sim card with his old number. At the same time his hand set mobile was stolen from him 2 days ago. He bought a new handset but can not get access to all his accounts and apps because they are sending the second verification code to his previous number which he got no access to it now.
Would you please advise me what he should do to get access to his account without the second verification code. By the way he remember the password. Your help will be very appreciated 👏 🙏
In reality the whole system breaks because you can't log in to anything to do anything because you're locked out of the other things that enable you to log in, like get your number ported to a new phone - can't, you're locked out etc. Log in to email to get a security email with your pin - can't because you're locked out because you can't 2-factor log in to your email. etc. And this means your whole life can be put on hold for days because you have no phone and your computer access is blocked. This will only get worse as time goes on. This is why when I go on holiday I make sure I'm not using gmail for anything important and am instead using 1-factor on a different email address that always allows me access so long as I remember my password - I can access important stuff without being blocked for days if a phone gets lost or stolen.
That's possible, but highly unlikely unless you get into a very unusual/unlucky situation and/or haven't properly planned for recovery.
Agreed - Ask Leo makes it sound easy but in reality it is nigh well impossible in some cases.
"using 1-factor on a different email address"
1-factor might only work if you login from a known device. Some services won't let you log in from an unknown device without a second factor, even if you haven't set 2FA.
@@gcolombelli Highly unlikely? Is a fire or car accident highly unlikely? Is getting mugged highly unlikely? We carry fire insurance, people carry mace or firearms because it happens. This is part of the 'threat model.'
At some point in the chain (three layers deep), I accept a weak link in my cyber-security because real world disruptions are more likely than sim swaps or North Korea brute-forcing my master password. I'm not Snowden hiding from the NSA. I need one one-factor password that I can reliably remember but is not easy pickings.
If possible, I save my OTP code to my 1password, so I can recreate it on another MFA app if I need to.
1Password can now also act AS your MFA app
I have an account i created in 2006 that i cant access due to switching service providers on my phone. Sucks because those are some of my best childhood memories, and some of the first guitar tutorials ever posted on youtube. I had a stairway heaven tutorial that had a few million views but i set all the videos to private because i hadnt even hit puberty yet. Was hoping i could show my girlfriend little pre-pubescent me but looks like the account may be lost forever. I wish i could just call somebody but youtube/google is so difficult to contact