Protect Your Account Security
Enable 2-Step Authentication for Google!
Google has enabled a high-quality security feature that if you’re not using it yet, you really MUST set up!
This feature, called 2-Step Authentication can really save your butt!
Formerly, under the old method, the moment that someone hacks your Gmail or other account, they can change your password and there is NOTHING you can do about it.
That means your email account, Google+ account, analytics account and more… instantly not just GONE but in the hands of a hacker!
Now you can do something about it!
By enabling 2-Factor Authentication, you require a code that is sent to your mobile phone to be entered… effectively stopping any hacker that does not have your phone in hand from logging in from any new location or browser and changing your password.
And… um… if they DO have your phone in hand… you are already in a LOT bigger trouble!
Sign Up For Google 2-Step Authentication Here!
Google 2-Step Authentication Tutorial
The protection is worth the effort!
Overview:
It is very important that that in addition to setting it up and enabling it on your smart phone if you have one… that you configure the backup settings!
It was relatively painless to generate an application specific password for my desktop copy of Google Music (you use it once, and then return to using your regular password.)
I installed Google Authenticator on my phone though for now I see myself using the SMS option the most. It is normal that it took my phone almost an hour before it requested the app specific password I had generated for it (even after I restarted it).
In the setup area, I found a list of LOTS of apps that I had given access to my GMail account prior and it was super easy to remove the ones I no longer needed… further improving my security.
If your phone is ever lost or stolen, log into your 2-Step Authenticiation Settings page and simply remove the application specific code for your phone itself, using the [Revoke] next to the listing.
The part with the silly Google Authenticator app felt the strangest but it turned out that because I’m using SMS so far I have no needed the silly thing.
The whole process felt a little unwieldy because I was afraid of being locked out of my android phone (Love my HTC Incredible) but went really smoothly.
I feel so much safer now that I’ve set this up!
This is a huge drop in the risk that some crazy-ass hacker can help himself to a service that is the back-bone of my business!
This is WAY more important than I can easily convey and you NEED to take advantage of it!
Sign Up For Google 2-Step Authentication Here!
Google 2-Step Authentication Tutorial
The protection is worth the effort!
Have you set up 2-Step Authentication Yet?
Kimberly
Taking the Headaches Out of Internet Marketing
PS: There are numerous frequently asked questions and short guides in the tutorial section if you get stuck anywhere along the way.
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{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, Kim! This is very useful. I can’t even imagine what would happen if my Google Account were hijacked.
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I’m with you Carolyn! I can’t imagine losing mine… and all of my associated business information and site verifications! I would totally freak! This is something that takes a bit to set up (and use from time to time) but the alternatives are so awful that this is really highly recommended. Thanks hun!
Kim
Hi Kim, it’s my first visit to your blog… So many posts in “Google+” category show the importance of this innovation. One think I don’t like about Google+ is that it affects your search results BIG TIME!
About this post, I agree to what you said: “The protection is worth the effort” and 2-step authentication sounds great, but wouldn’t it be too taxing to recieve/enter a code every time you log into your account from another PC? (especially for those who use a lot of different machines)
Ali invites you to read…Why Google’s Latest Freshness Algorithm Is A Blessing For Writers & Bloggers?
Ali you raise an important point. An individual that uses many machines and browsers is going to have more work to do… however, they are also at the HIGHEST risk of having their account exploited. In this particular example, as the risk goes up so does the work. I’m not convinced that’s an unfair tradeoff. I’m sure you can understand how being on so many machines exposes you to more viruses, more hackers, more keyloggers and simply more nefarious behavior. A person doing that is the one who MOST needs tools like this. I hope that makes sense!
Kim
I totally agree with you Kim. Actually, I was worried about any delay in the message that has the code when I log in on a different PC, but it’s delivered INSTANTLY!
After reading your post, I activated 2-step authentication but Gmail stopped working on my cell phone. However, getting an ‘application specific’ password is also quite hassle-free and your devices continue to work with the encrypted password. All my suspicions have vanished and I highly recommend it
Ali invites you to read…Do Blog Comments Matter after Panda and Freshness Update?
This is a very good method to ensure your account, is it a first? I haven’t heard of it being used anywhere else, if that’s the case Google hit the jackpot with this one.
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Thanks Marry for dropping in
I would say it’s a first among social sites but not a first among online sites. Many banking sites require this 2-forms-of-ID type logins now. However, when you look at FB and twitter, they don’t provide as good of options at all so that puts Google head and shoulders above the race in that regard. Yahoo, another major email provider also does not offer this. I agree that this is a jackpot move for anyone that actually cares (while not inconveniencing those that don’t really).
Kim
Hi Kim,
Very useful post.
I did 2-Step Authentication and it was very easy. Now I am protected. Can I use the same phone number for different Google accounts?
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Edyta, the honest answer is that I don’t know. I would truly asume that yes you can. Googles systems are almost always built around awareness of us having multiple accounts so I would be surprised if you could not. I know that I have the same mobile number as a “fallback number” on several accounts so I can’t see this as being much different. Mind letting me know how it works for you?
Kim
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your answer.
I still haven’t tried it. I have only one Google account and I want to open another and I was just wandering if I can use the same phone number.
Now that’s a gem of information. I totally don’t know anything about this before this post. I never thought Google to be that big on privacy. Anyways thank you so much.
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Hey Crescele, Google is actually huge on keeping us from being hacked. Its why the instant that the old firesheep attack (which is still used) was announced, they forced us to https… whereas FB still won’t and makes us enable it ourselves. Google would rather soak up the hassle of adapting their pages to protect us than Facebook would. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to do our part, but when it comes to keeping hackers out and keeping us safe in that way… Google does a really good job.
Thanks Kim for this critical info! I did it as you walked me through and got it done in a few minutes. So wheww my e-mail is secure. As I have had a hacker get to my e-mail before, I am appreciative about this!
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Thanks Lynda! I agree it feels incredibly good to know that it’s done and that the security level has just gone up substantially. With hackings being all over the place today this is a really empowering move for anyone willing to take the bit to set it up. I appreciate you letting others know that you had no trouble getting it going <3
Kim
Forgetting or losing one’s google password is a nightmare. With this new feature one might always feel a sense of security. Thanks for the useful post.
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You’re very welcome Jane! Indeed there can be a lot of fear around the dangers of hackings, stolen stuff, and even forgetfullness around accounts we absolutely can not afford to lose. I think this was a step in the right direction from Google.
Kim
Hi Kim, this is a great post! Account security is so important so that hackers don’t get your information. One of my friends had his twitter account hacked and now he is locked out from twitter. I am going to do the 2 step verification for google. Thanks for posting a video to help with the process.
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Shelley, the security risks just go up and up the more tied we are to these sites and with Google being linked to all of our analytics, site states, some of our advertising and more, I can’t think of a site we need to protect more! I’m sorry to hear about your friend. I assume he put in a ticket with support over there? They’re a little more human (though slow) than Facebook and sometimes we’ve managed to reclaim breached accounts. Let me know if you have any issues getting it going, more than happy to answer questions.
Kim
This is amazing!!!!!!!! I’m fond of any application offered by Google and especially the one that deals with security. Thanks a lot for sharing
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Hey BSW, I really appreciate all the quality comments you’ve left in the last few days. You’ve not taken advantage of the keywordluv feature on the blog though. Generally I would simply strip out your keywords from the user name since you don’t have a real name attached I can easily put in the box. Why don’t you reply back and tell me who you are, so that I can alter your name field, to be (as you could have used) Your Name @ BuySellWordPress and the keywordluv feature makes sure that your keyword stays linked and your name is simply so we here as a community can get to know you
Kim
Kim, my name is Amanda. And if you’d like I will write as you offered. Hope that my keyword will stay linked) Waiting for your future excellent posts….
Amanda invites you to read…Free TV Channel Video Facebook Template
Hey Amanda, it’s lovely to meet you. I edited the comment you just left to show you what you url/keywords will do. Simply put “Amanda@BuySellWordPress” in the name field, instead of just Amanda, and then you will keep your great anchor text while still being a real person. I’ll edit your pasts posts to get them straight for you and make sure you still get all the anchor text love. Any blog running KeywordLuv or the newer Commentluv Premium will generally work that way. It’s a tradeoff so that we can get to know you as a real person while still giving you great links (and in the case of this blog, those are dofollow, but that’s not true of every blog as you know). Hope you’re having a beautiful day!
Kim
Thank you so much! It’s so nice of you!
Amanda invites you to read…Free TV Channel Video Facebook Template
Thanks Kim for this post, I had a bad experience this summer with a person that named himself a professional of WP and I found myself with NO site the day after, I will lookinto this great suggestion you are offering here hoping that it is easy to install! Without Google I think all of us would be lost here..Freaking out as you say…
Thanks!
Kim,
This is hugely important and everyone should follow your advice.
What’s key here is that Google is positioning themselves to be the control mechanism for almost everything that is IM related. What I can foresee is that search rankings will be heavily influenced by Google Plus and your authority as a Google Plus participant. These programs are all controlled with the same password and authentication. Protecting your account is critical.
Thanks for sharing this!
Best,
James
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James you hit the nail on the head! In one single attack a person could destroy both the social and the SEO aspects of your business. And that’s beyond what they could do with control of your address book! This falls in the super-important category and I’m really thankful that Google has made it available to us! Let me know if you have any challenges setting it up!
Kim
Thanks, Kim. Very nice and useful tips. You made this tutorial very easy to understand:) It will be my worst nightmare if something happens with my account:(
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Kim, Kim, Kim,
There you go again providing this amazing content and keeping ALL your followers on the cutting edge and in the know.
This truly is a very important issue and needs to be addressed immediately. Security is always an area that we need to be concerned about when we work online so frequently.
I have activated my 2 step authentication and I feel much more secure.
To your continued Mastery,
Marc
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Hey Kim,
Thanks for the tip!
Do you think this sort of technology will become standard with all kinds of accounts?
It makes sense as we all have our mobile phones with us 24/7.
Thanks again
Talk soon,
Kevin
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Great tips Kim. I always love your info! Question – do you know if this works with Google Apps account? I was prompted for the new security settings on my regular Google account but not on my Apps account.
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Michael, it should work with a Google Apps account. Here is a document I found: https://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=184711 Hope that helps and please let me know how it goes!
Kim
Kim, I am not looking for a fix (you aren’t Google tech support.
) but wanted to give you some feedback. It appears as though logging in via my laptop connected to the home wireless network creates a unique “device” every time so Google doesn’t recognize my laptop for the 30 days even though I checked that box. Coupled with the fact I don’t text and and pay for each message I receive, Google’s method of 2 step log in becomes very cumbersome. I’ve had to disable it until I can figure out how to get the system to recognize my laptop so I don’t need a text code every single day.
Michael Mullin invites you to read…Is It Hard To Get A Home Loan In Spokane, WA?
Michael, it sounds to me like there’s a real likely chance that you have your browser on the laptop set to clear cookies when it’s exited. If so, your flushing out the 30 day cookie every time you restart the browser. That would be my first guess. Perhaps give it a look?
Kim
PS: Appreciate the feedback, these are things we need to know about!
Well, Here I thought I would do it and get it done without bothering anyone… Well I no longer get any emails on any of my devices… So I am totally spastic with technology.. However the guy I spoke with from my service provider… hadn’t even heard of 2 step authentication yet!! So thanks, for the info I will be working on this til someone or myself figures it out. Wouldn’t want to lose anything so I’d better get on it! Thanks for the new info….
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Holly, your devices (assuming you mean like a mobile phone) are going to need you to generate an app specific password. Go to the app specific password section, create a password, name it for the device your going to use it on, and then enter it as your password into the device for mail ONCE. After you’ve done it once, your email should resume working, and from there forward (unless you terminate that password) you will resume using your regular password on that device. I have an app specific password for my android phone itself AND for the gmail app on the phone.
Kim
I tried that!! I really did read and listen and try to figure it out!! I was so pumped to do it right!! LOL And somehow I can’t figure out where to put that code… For some reason I can’t find that app that I need for phone. (Blackberry) At least that is where I seem to be stuck… Still trying to figure it out… Thanks so much Kim!!
Holly invites you to read…Nobody Is As Busy As I Am!
Kimberly I figured it out!!! OMG, what a simple little thing. Sorry, too embarrassed to share!! LOL Happy Dance!!
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Thanks for step2 authentication procedure which make gmail more safe the eveer.
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Great tips Kim. I always love your info! Question – do you know if this works with Google Apps account? I was prompted for the new security settings on my regular Google account but not on my Apps account.
This should work for Google Apps at this time I believe. If it wont, it will tell you at the set up page.
Kim
This really is a warning bell Kim! I saw the “configure your settings” page from Gmail so many times but I just skip it. Now I think it’s time to set it up. Thanks for telling us about this
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Thanks for the info Kim. I’ve always been leery about giving google my phone number. The reasons you list seem sound and logical are there any down sides to them having your number? Thanks.
Thanks for posting this. Its very useful. It’s good to have a authentication when logging in so your account will not be hacked. Thanks for posting this.