It is a sad state of affairs that we all need to take steps to protect our accounts on the internet. If we are lax in our security, people can take advantage and run up bills under our names. Consoles are no exception, as people try to hack accounts and then use attached payment methods to score themselves some free games.
The good news is that setting up two-factor authentication, commonly referred to as 2FA, is quite easy to do. Go to the Settings option in the main menu, then click on Users and Accounts. Select Security and then select 2-Step Verification.
Pick whether you want to use Text Message or Authenticator App. For Text Message, you will need to enter your mobile number. If you are using the Authenticator App, you will need to scan the QR code that appears on the screen and then enter the code that you get from the app.
From that point on, you will need to verify your log ins using the code your sent. The console will also give you some backup codes that you should record somewhere in case you lose access to your verification method.
What Is Two-Factor Authentication?
Two Factor Authentication is best viewed as a backup six-digit password that will be randomly generated and sent to you when you try to log in. Should someone manage to get your password and email, and log in pretending to be you, they will be asked for an additional code. This code is sent to you, by a method of your choosing. Without the code, the other person would be unable to prove that their attempt to log in was authorized, so they would not be able to do so.
