Twitter Now Supports Hardware Security Keys on Android and iOS

2020 was certainly not a great year for Twitter’s security team, case in point: the infamous high-profileTwitter Bitcoin scam. To recover from this major setback, the company has been hiring top-notch security professionals including Rinki Sethi and Peiter Zatko. As part of Twitter’s efforts to enhance the platform’s security, the company has nowadded support for hardware two-factor security keys across Android and iOS.

Protecting your account on all of your devices is important. We’ve updated two-factor authentication so you can now log in with your physical security key on Android and iOS, like on desktop. More on how to set up this added security for your account:https://t.co/c7hff75zQd

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport)December 2, 2020

For the uninitiated, using hardware 2FA keys is an excellent way to protect your accounts on the internet. The major advantage of using hardware 2FA over traditional SMS 2FA is thatyou will no longer be vulnerable toSIM swap attacks, something evenTwitter CEO Jack Dorsey couldn’t escape from. Other two-factor authentication methods on Twitter are text message (not recommended) and authenticator apps.

It is worth noting that Twitter has been supporting hardware two-factor security keys on the web, thanks to WebAuthn protocol. The latest update extends the scope of the feature to mobile versions of Twitter, which is undoubtedly a welcome addition. If you don’t have a hardware security key yet, you’re in luck. One of the leaders in hardware 2FA keys, Yubico, is offering a $10 discount on their hardware 2FA solution Yubikey. You can use the code ‘TWITTER10’ during checkout to avail the discount.

To set up hardware 2FA, you’ll have to open Twitter and visitSettings and Privacy -> Account -> Security-> Two-factor authentication -> Security key. In case you change your mind, you can disable 2FA (although you shouldn’t) later from the same page. While you’re at it, our guide onenabling two-factor authentication across Facebook, Instagram, and Twittershould come in handy to safeguard your other social media accounts.

Subin B

Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.

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