To heighten security for its users, Twitter rolled out extra security measure to users' accounts in an effort to prevent unauthorized logins, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday.
Twitter said users will be able to enroll in a login verification program. For those who sign up, Twitter will send a six-digit code using a text message each time they sign in to Twitter.com. Besides their username and password, users will have to enter the code as well to log in.
There are several steps to set it up, the company said. First, users must visit Twitter's account settings page then select "Require a verification code when I sign in." Secondly, a link will be sent to your email which asks you to "add a phone" which you can do by following the prompts. Lastly, once you have enrolled in login verification, you'll be asked to enter a six-digit code that we send to your phone via SMS each time you sign in to twitter.com.
Twitter joins the ranks of other online services using two-factor authentication, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and Dropbox. The extra step is a must to insure your account is secure from potential hackers.
Twitter's decision to add two-factor authentication comes on the heels of the hacking of several prominent Twitter accounts from the Associated Press to the Onion. A fake tweet from the AP's hijacked account last month declared that explosions at the White House had left the President injured, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling more than a hundred points before it was debunked.
