How to protect your Windows PC and Mac two-factor authentication
Vindovs Macos / / December 19, 2019
The two-level authentication - not a tribute to fashion a computer, and a really important step in protecting your sensitive data on home and office computers. What is a two-layer authentication and how its done with a USB-stick? Read our article.
Google, Facebook, «Yandex» and other large network resources strongly recommend to their users use a two-factor (two-level) authentication for access to personal data and of payments. And no wonder, because whatever crafty password you use, there is still the possibility of leakage in the network or hacking brute. Looking at the issue more widely, it is easy to understand that it would be good and protect your personal computer from unauthorized access. And the usual application bundles login / password to log in here will not get off.
Let's learn how to give your Windows PC or Mac extra armor when using a standard USB-drive.
What implies a two-layer authentication? First, the security password, and secondly - the existence of a personal object of the material world. This may be a mobile phone, which account for a verification code or a special access device, whom in this case will act as a normal USB flash drive.
Probably many of you constantly carry a USB-stick, especially since some of them have a bizarre incarnation and serve as an element of the image of the owner. So why not provide a USB flash drive yet another useful feature if you and so does not leave her? Thus, your "chest" will be protected as a modern electronic key, and the usual iron.
From words to deeds! In addition to the USB-drive, you will need to download and install on your computer a special program. Later in the article will be discussed about the utility Predator for Windows. Mac users can apply to the program USB LockOperating on a similar principle. However, it costs $ 3, and a free alternative, I simply do not know. If any, please let me know in the comments.
before downloading Predator make sure you have chosen the correct edition of the program: 32-bit or 64-bit. Couple megabytes download, and it's time to get down to business.
Run the program and set a new password unlock. Insert the drive and register it by clicking on the Register Key button.
Pay attention to the following options. Read Interval parameter determines the frequency of checking the connection to the computer USB drive. The default value is set to 30 seconds. At the end of a goal time, the program will check for a key and, in his absence, will darken the screen.
A check mark in front of the parameter Always Required means the need to enter the password protection even in the presence of the drive in the USB-port. Thus, just provided a two-tier authentication. Peeped malicious code or stolen USB flash drive alone will not help the villain.
Everything else, you can set the level of opacity of the window lock and disable desktop icons and minimize all open windows.
At any time at your disposal a detailed report on the work program.
On my Windows 7 64-bit utility Predator proved to be a reliable defender, complaints have arisen in its work. But this does not mean that the program is perfect from all sides. Therefore, I do house Warning:
Predator install and configure its parameters is entirely at your own risk.
Do you know a good alternative to the Predator and USB Lock? Share them in the comments.