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Should You Use Two-Factor Authentication on Your Blog?

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Last Updated on February 18, 2023

A recent article on beefing up security on your blog recommended several important steps, including two-factor authentication for logins.

My real job involves using several different platforms, a content management system and multiple social media accounts. Many of them have two-factor authentication.

In some cases, either workplace policy requires or the individual platform strongly recommends activating the option. I wrote about the importance of using it nearly a year ago.

I found an article by Roger Montti on Search Engine Journal titled “The WordPress Security Guide To Keep Your Site Safe.” Montti mentions eight steps to protect your blog. One of them involves adding two-factor authentication to your blog login.

It never dawned on me until now that bloggers can beef up the security on their site using that same feature.

First things first: What exactly is two-factor authentication?

Also known as 2FA, it’s an extra security feature that requires one more passcode beyond your normal login. For some social media accounts I use, anytime I log in, the platform texts a six-digit code to my smartphone. A few of them require me to look up a six-digit code on a separate app on my phone called Google Authenticator. The Authenticator app will randomly generate the codes every 60 seconds. So you have to enter the code before it expires or wait for the next one to appear.

In either case, the old-school username and password alone don’t cut it. That extra layer of security is the final step to access my account.

Yes, you should definitely activate 2FA!

So why would I do this to myself? Securing your account is that important.

If someone happens to guess your password — either on their own or with some kind of malware help — they still can’t log in unless they also have your smartphone.

If anyone manages to steal your password and your phone at the same time, you’ve definitely been outsmarted.

Montti’s article mentions two different plugins that can add 2FA to your login process. The one I chose, WP 2FA, gives you a couple of options. First, you can either have the plugin email you a code or you can use a separate app like Google Authenticator. I like the flexibility of having an email rather than an app if you prefer one over the other.

I might wish that it offered a third option of having the system text you a code to your smartphone, but those texts can occasionally get lost in the shuffle, so it’s by no means a dealbreaker.

In any case, I’m glad to have one more extra layer of security. If you have a blog, you should seriously consider reading Montti’s article and implementing his recommendations to protect your site.

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.