Twitter removes SMS security verification for non-payers

Twitter decided to eliminate the method of two-step verification (2FA) via SMS for users who are not a Twitter Blue subscriber, its eight-dollar-a-month premium service. This means who does not pay will have to choose another 2FA today, if you want to keep your account safe. The good news is that not only is it not difficult to do this, but it is also safer.

Twitter removes SMS account verification

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The Two-factor verification (2FA) is an essential measure to protect your online data from possible hacker intrusions, which can exploit stolen or cloned passwords. Instead, with 2FA, in addition to having access to your password, they must also have access to your smartphone.

SMS-based 2FA was the only one available on Twitter for a long time. But it’s not the most secure, because messages can be intercepted or forged with techniques such as SIM swapping. So the fact that people who don’t pay for Twitter Blue have to change could be a security improvement.

Now Twitter offers other more reliable 2FA options, like the use of dedicated apps such as Google Authenticator or Authy, which generate temporary codes to be entered when logging in. If you don’t want to pay for Twitter Blue and want to disable 2FA via SMS, it’s a good idea to activate the authenticator app now.

There is also the option of use physical keys, although perhaps it is not the most comfortable solution for everyone. But of course, having more options helps – especially the free ones.

We also recommend using a password manager to easily access your accounts, while using strong, hack-resistant passwords. Safety comes first online, whether you are subscribe to Twitter Blue or not.