This Incident Stopped Me From Ever Using SMS 2FA Again
1 min read
Summary
After experiencing issues with logging into his PayPal account, the author realised the drawbacks of relying on SMS two-factor authentication (2FA).
When he attempted to enter the 2FA code sent to his phone during the login process, the code never arrived.
After attempting to fix the issue, he discovered that many other PayPal users were also experiencing the same problem, which was never mentioned during his numerous calls to PayPal’s support team.
The author eventually managed to get back into his account by switching to an authentication app, prompting him to reflect on the risks of relying on SMS 2FA.
He concludes that in light of this experience, he will never again rely on SMS 2FA, or any phone-based 2FA systems.
