Two-factor authentication is a system that incorporates an additional code be entered when signing in – retrieved from a mobile device.
This added security ensures that your VETtrak login cannot be accessed without knowledge of both your password, and access to your mobile device - two things that should be quite safely in your possession!
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) website provides a lot of information on why incorporating MFA/2FA into your log in procedure can be a massive boost to your personal (and professional) security.
From their Use two-factor authentication page:
Two-factor authentication (often shortened to 2FA) provides a way of 'double-checking' that you’re really the person you’re claiming to be when you log into your online accounts, such as banking, email or social media.
When you log into an online account with a username and password, you’re using what’s called single-factor authentication. You only need one thing to verify that you are who you say you are.
With 2FA, you need to provide two things – your password and something else such as a code sent to your mobile device or your fingerprint – before you can access your account.
This second level of authentication is not new, however, it is gaining momentum as accounts are left vulnerable with weak or poorly-secured passwords. A range of websites including Twitter, Paypal and WordPress have an optional second factor to their log-in processes, and online banking sites have used 2FA for a long time.
In a nutshell, using a 2FA means that anyone who wishes to access your details will require access to both your log in credentials, as well as your physical mobile device - meaning their efforts become a great deal more involved in trying to compromise your information.
Visit these pages for more information about each of our supported authenticator apps:
- LastPass (by LastPass)
- Microsoft Authenticator (by Microsoft)
- Google Authenticator (by Google)
- Authy (By Twilio)
For information on setting up Two-Factor Authentication for specific VETtrak Applications, view our process articles here: