Password manager LastPass has revealed its own and new two-factor authentication (2FA) application that helps LastPass users with an added layer of security while accessing their password vault and hundreds of major websites which have 2FA enabled.
LastPass has launched LastPass Authenticator, its 2FA application that is now available on all major mobile platforms including Android, iOS and Windows Phone. The app generates real-time, 6-digit, time-sensitive passcodes, accounting for the added layer in a multi-factor authentication protocol. Alternatively, the app also enables a push notification with which users can authenticate access to their account.
2FA fundamentally provides an added layer of security beyond the simple username/email and password combination. This is to enhance security and ensure that hackers are kept at bay from gaining access to an account since a real-time passcode that expires in seconds is required to complete authentication for account access. Major retailers and websites like Amazon, Google and others have already adopted it and offer it as a security feature for security-conscious users.
“We’re on a mission to make it simple and convenient for you to follow best practices for protecting your personal information,” the company explained via Joe Siegrist, vice president and general manager of LastPass. “With LastPass Authenticator, it’s easier than ever for you to turn on two-factor authentication for your LastPass account and other services.”
Users will simply have to download and install the app before heading over to their LastPass account to look in to their Account Settings. Here, the user will find LastPass Authenticator under Multifactor Options. A quick barcode scan later, the application is paired with the user’s account.
Now that it’s up and running, the next time the same user logs in to his or her LastPass account, the Authenticator app will be required to generate a 6-digit, 60-second code. Alternatively, users can also approve the automated push notification or even send the code to the phone via SMS.
LastPass Authenticator, being TOTP compliant, is compatible with all apps and websites that already support a solution like Google Authenticator. These include the likes of Facebook, Dropbox, Evernote, WordPress, Amazon and plenty more.
