According to the report that we got from our sources, Facebook made an announcement that it has made some changes on how to set up two-factor authentication. The new method is aimed at making the setup of two-factor authentication more streamlined as well as remove the need to register a phone number.
Previously, Facebook would require a phone number for the purpose of setting up two-factor authentication, now however, other options have been added so that if one does not want to use their phone number, Facebook receives apps such as Duo Security and Google Authenticator. The setup process has also been refined, according to the company, thus making the setup a much easier and guided experience when enabling two-factor authentication.
This update came up a few months after the company by their own admission confirmed that a bug had infiltrated its two-factor authentication making the system to cause SMS notifications that are not security related to be sent to the phones of users. The automated number that Facebook uses as its two-factor authentication number somehow ended up sending Facebook notifications to people through SMS without their permission, and the replies that the people made to these texts also ended up as posts to the profiles of the users.
Rather than making use of a phone number, the use of authenticator apps happens to be a much safer alternative. SMS has in many occasions been the central point in a lot of hacks of two-factor authentication, this comprises an incident that happen of recent where Telegram accounts were exposed in Iran.
In order to set up two-factor authentication on your Facebook profile, go to “Settings”, and while there, click “Security and Login.” Next, go to the area that says “Use two-factor authentication” and choose if you want to use your phone number or an authentication app to increase security.
