Two-Factor Authentication

You’ve already used it. When your bank texts you a code before approving a transaction, that’s 2FA — the password is one factor, the code is the second. Passwords get stolen constantly through data breaches, and most people reuse them across accounts. The second factor means a stolen password on its own is useless.

Setup is nearly identical everywhere: account security settings, find “two-factor authentication” or “two-step verification”, follow the prompts. You’ll usually choose between SMS codes and an authenticator app like Google or Microsoft Authenticator.

Go the app if you can. SMS codes can be intercepted through SIM-swapping; app codes are generated on your device and can’t be. But either beats nothing by a mile.

Where to start: your email account, first and always — it’s the master key that resets everything else. Then banking, then your business tools. Ten minutes per account, once.