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Dropbox Adds Two-Factor Authentication

Posted by samzenpus on from the checking-it-twice dept.

angry tapir writes "File-sharing service Dropbox is now offering two-factor authentication, a system that makes it much harder for hackers to capture valid credentials for a person's account. Dropbox, one of the most widely used web-based storage services, said last month it planned on introducing two-factor authentication after user names and passwords were stolen from another website and used to access accounts."

3 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. You can have it too! by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 5, Informative

    $ apt-cache search google authenticator
    libpam-google-authenticator - Two-step verification

    It's in Debian repositories (And probably Ubuntu.) You can download it yourself and integrate it into anything that supports PAM.

    I have my code on both my phone and iPod touch so I always have something on me that can generate the code. The 'backup codes' are in a safety deposit box with other documents. Not sure if it actually is secure but it feels a bit more secure knowing that to get into my home server you have to have both my password and one of my devices. (And if I lose one I can easily generate a new key).

    It makes a QR-code in the bash terminal that you can take a picture of with your devices.

    1. Re:You can have it too! by Maquis196 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Can vouch for this. google auth use PAM so its very easy to hook up to most things. I use it at work for our VPN stuff, also a few ssh servers.

      Amazing piece of software.

  2. Re:But did they actually make it any more secure by mkraft · · Score: 4, Informative

    That was fixed back in Dropbox 1.2.48 (October 31, 2011)

    https://www.dropbox.com/release_notes