With massive security hacks now coming on what feels like a weekly basis, two-factor authentication has become a modern necessity. But, leave the country and getting that access code can become a lot more difficult than just waiting for a text. Here's what you need to know and do before your next trip.
What's Two-Factor Authentication And Why Does It Work Differently When You Travel? The basic idea is that your password can be hacked pretty easily, but it'd be much more difficult to also access a device you carry with you — typically your phone. So, Two-Factor requires both your typical password and a time-sensitive code texted to or generated by your phone.
The problems there are obvious. Lose your phone and you're screwed. Or, in a much more typical case for travelers: move out of cell phone reception, let your battery die or leave the country and you may not be able to receive the code.
This was driven home to me last week. While visiting Colombia, my brand new Macbook Air went all black screen of death on me and I needed to borrow my girlfriend's computer to write, edit and publish articles. That ended up being much more difficult than it should have been. Gmail's verification texts apparently don't send to your phone when you leave the country. Neither do Twitter's. Even with the same US number, good reception and armed with an international roaming plan. So, work became a frustrating two-screen task split between her computer and my phone, requiring me to Facebook Message links between devices and generally doubling the time it took me to do anything. If I haven't responded to your emails in like two weeks, this is why. I'll catch up today, promise.
Had I been a little more prepared, I could have avoided the hassle. Here's all the preparation you need.
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