What is "two-factor authentication"?
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is designed to provide better protection for user accounts. In addition to the usual login details such as username and password, two-factor authentication requires a second factor to log in.
If someone steals your username and password (e.g., through phishing), they can easily log into your account. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is designed to prevent this.
In addition to the usual login details (username and password), a second factor is required to log in.
This second factor can be a one-time code or a one-time password that is sent to you by email or text message. But email accounts can be hacked, and SMS services are not free.
A secure and budget-friendly alternative is to use code generators such as authenticator apps on your smartphone or tablet. These apps are also available in analog form as code generators coming in a small box.
A passkey is a modern method of logging in without a password. It is designed to be more secure and more convenient than a normal password. Biometric data—face recognition or fingerprint—is often used as a passkey.
The passkey is set up directly in the operating system of your device, for example on your computer or smartphone. You can use it in two ways:
- Alone, for example to log in to Windows – without a user name and password.
- In addition, as a second security factor when logging in to the Cockpit – i.e. together with your user name and password.
In some cases, hardware tokens are also used. These are small separate devices with a built-in security chip, usually in the form of a USB stick or plastic card.
