In one of the previous articles on my blog, I talked about two-factor authentication (2FA), its significance and importance in the modern world. In a nutshell, it is used to confirm various transactions on the Internet and protect accounts from unauthorized access, which significantly increases the protection of your accounts and prevents attackers from stealing personal data.
So, one of the most reliable and common types of 2FA is authentication through the Google Authenticator mobile application. From this article you will learn about all the important points regarding working with this application, namely how to connect, configure and use it correctly. In addition, I will answer frequently asked questions about 2FA Google Authenticator that users have when using it.
Google Authenticator - what is it and how to use it correctly
Google Authenticator is a mobile application from the well-known company Google, the direct purpose of which is to increase the level of protection of Internet user accounts in various online services, where it is possible to enable two-step authentication.
Today, almost all major sites and services provide this level of protection to their users. For example, 2FA authentication can be found in email services, social networks, electronic wallets, some mailers (boxes), etc.
Using the Google Authenticator app is very easy. Once connected, every time you log into your account or perform a confirmation action (for example, transfer funds), you will need to enter the generated six-digit code from the mobile application.
The main feature of Google Authenticator is that the secret key is generated every 30 seconds. And even if an attacker manages to find out your basic authorization data (login and password) in any way, then it will be problematic for him to select/intercept the code from the application to confirm login from an unknown device to your account, or rather, even unrealistic. This increases the protection of your account and your data several times.
I suggest that you don’t waste time and proceed directly to reviewing the process of installing Google Authenticator, its configuration and further use.
Safety
If you regularly log into the game from the same location, an authentication code may not be required. This speeds up entry if you are in a secure location.
If you receive an authorization request that you did not initiate, click Deny
and change the password for your Battle.net account.
Note: Classic games are not protected by Battle.net Authenticator. To make sure your computer is secure, see Keep your computer and account safe.
How to restore Google Authenticator on a new device
Each person may experience a situation in which he may lose access to his Google Authenticator application, and therefore access to the accounts to which he was connected as 2FA. For example, a phone can be lost, it can be stolen, you can even buy a new mobile device, or you may need to reinstall (flash) the operating system, etc. As a result, it will simply be impossible to do without reinstalling and restoring access to the application.
The problem is that Google Authenticator is deleted along with all the keys and it will be impossible to log into your accounts because you will not have access codes. This is due to the fact that the keys are stored in a single copy, only on your device, and are not transferred anywhere. In other words, if you haven’t taken care of options in advance that would help you transfer Google Authenticator and all accounts attached to it to a new device, then restoring access to them will not be impossible, but at least problematic.
How to restore Google Authenticator in this case? There are several options to solve this problem:
- If on a particular site it is possible to install backup (additional) methods for checking and confirming transactions, or if it is possible to create so-called backup codes, be sure to take advantage of this. As I said earlier, even if you lose access to Google Authenticator, you can still sign in to your account using recovery codes.
- If you did not have backup Google Authenticator codes, contact the support service of the service where additional protection was installed and ask them to disable two-step authorization for your account. Try to explain the current situation to them, and if you provide enough evidence that the account belongs to you, then access can be restored without any problems.
- Another reliable option is that you can create a QR code in the application itself to export accounts to a new device with the Google Authenticator application installed. I will talk about this process in more detail below.
From all of the above, we can conclude that no matter how reliable the protection system is, it also has a downside. Therefore, you always need to play it safe and create additional secure options for gaining access to your accounts and data.
Set up the Microsoft Authenticator app as a verification method
To add two-factor verification and password reset methods, follow the steps here. After you set up this feature for the first time, you can return to the Security Information page to add, update, or remove security information.
If you are prompted to set up this feature immediately after you sign in to your account, see the Set up your security information from the sign-in prompt article for detailed instructions.
If what you see on your screen doesn't match what's in this article, it means your administrator hasn't enabled this feature yet. Until this feature is enabled, you must follow the instructions and information in Set up your account for two-step verification.
Note: If you don't see the Authentication Application option, your organization may not allow you to use this option for authentication. In this case, you will need to choose a different method or contact your organization's technical support team for additional assistance.
How to disable Google Authenticator
Sometimes situations arise in which it may be necessary to disable Google Authenticator. This is quite simple to do - in your personal account of the service, where you have two-factor authentication enabled through the application, click the “Disable” or “Turn off” button. Then simply enter the 6-digit generated code from the app one last time or your main account password (whichever is asked).
Important: if after a while you want to reconnect Google Authenticator, you will need to generate a new QR code and secret key, since the old ones will no longer be relevant and will not work, i.e. will no longer work.
In addition, after disabling 2FA, do not forget to delete the disabled account in the Authenticator application itself (select the one you want from the list and click on the trash can icon in the upper right corner, then confirm the deletion by clicking the “Delete account” button), because when you connect it again, a new profile will be created with a generated password and you can get confused which one is correct.
Core Hound Puppy
The Core Hound Pup is an account-linked pet available to World of Warcraft players on worlds in North America, Europe, and Korea. After activating the Battle.net Authenticator, you will receive an in-game email containing a Core Hound Pup.
If you unlink your authenticator from your account, that pet will disappear from your collection when you exit the game. To get your pet again, you will need to reactivate the authenticator.
Note:
Characters in World of Warcraft Classic will not receive the Core Hound Pup.
Source
Answers to frequently asked questions about Google Authenticator
While using the Google Authenticator app, you may have various questions. I decided to select the most common ones and give detailed answers to them.
- How to install Google Authenticator on your computer?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to download and install Google Authenticator on your computer. The application exists only for mobile devices running Android and iOS. As a last resort, you can use an Android emulator on PC, such as BlueStacks. But I highly do not recommend doing this.
- How to transfer Google Authenticator to another phone?
If you bought a new phone and need to transfer Google Authenticator from one phone to another, you can create a QR code to export accounts to a new device with the newly installed Google Authenticator application - this is done in the application itself.
Click on the 3 dots icon located in the upper right corner of the application and select “Transfer accounts”. Click "Export Accounts", select the desired profiles and click "Next". After this, a QR code will be generated for you, which you will need to scan on your new device, as a result of which all accounts will be transferred automatically.
- The codes generated by the Google Authenticator application are not suitable (when authorizing, an error appears - “incorrect code”) - what should I do?
As I noted above in the article, it is necessary to correct the time for the codes in the application settings. Or, you simply need to set the same time on your phone and computer so that it coincides second by second.
- How to recover accounts after reinstalling Google Authenticator?
To do this, you must have backup codes available, which are issued in the service’s personal account (usually on the security page) when you enable two-factor authentication. They need to be stored in a safe place - on a flash drive, external hard drive, in a notebook, etc.
Introduction
Is access to your computer or account password protected? Sometimes this is not enough, especially if the level of confidentiality of your data is very high. Try not to give attackers a chance to get to the most intimate things, your data. Tesline Service SRL has included Google authentication in the Rohos Logon Key . Access to Windows is performed in enhanced security mode.
If your phone is based on Android, iOS, BlackBerry, use the Google Authenticator program. Protect your computer with a strong OTP password (one time password). An OTP password is a password that is generated by a special device or program and is valid for use only now and only once. It makes no sense to intercept or spy on such a password. Try to enter it a little later or again, it will be rejected. Each time you log into your computer, you will be asked for an OTP password generated on your phone.
Google Authenticator has been integrated into the Rohos Logon Key program as a PC login key. The secret password will always be with you on your phone. You don't have to enter your Windows password manually; the program will do it for you. It's convenient and reliable.
Like other authentication methods, this method is applicable when accessing the server via a Remote Desktop connection.
Security check and password reset
Security information is used for both two-factor security verification and password reset. However, not all methods can be used for both methods.
Two factor verification and password reset authentication.
Two factor verification and password reset authentication.
Two factor verification and password reset authentication.
Two factor verification and password reset authentication.
Email account
Password reset authentication only. For two factor testing, you must choose a different method.
Security Questions
Password reset authentication only. For two factor testing, you must choose a different method.
Removing an authenticator application from protection methods
If you no longer want to use an authenticator app as a security method, you can remove it from the Security Details page. This works for all authentication apps, not just Microsoft Authenticator apps. After deleting the app, you need to go to the authentication app on your mobile device and delete your account.
Important: If you uninstalled the authenticator app by mistake, you cannot undo it. You'll have to add the authenticator app again by following the steps in the Set up an authenticator app section of this article.
Uninstalling an authenticator application
On the Security Information page, select the Remove link next to the Authenticator app.
When asked to confirm whether to remove the authentication app, select Yes. Once you uninstall an authenticator app, it is removed from your security information and disappears from the Security Details page. If the default authentication application is used, the default is to use the other available method.
Open the authenticator app on your mobile device, select Change accounts, and then delete your account in the authenticator app.
Your account will be completely removed from the authentication app for two factor checks and password reset requests.
