More and more smart security manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to two-factor authentication, with Arlo announcing it will soon mandate the feature.
Android Police reports that users of Arlo security cameras (including the new Arlo Pro 3, which we recently reviewed) have received emails from the company saying that two-factor security will be required “by the end of the year.”
The emails from Arlo point users to the company’s FAQ for setting up two-factor authentication, which you can enable on the Arlo mobile app (by tapping Settings > Profile > Login Setting > Two-Step Verification) or on the Arlo website (click Settings > Profile > Two-Step Verification). Users can opt to receive security codes via SMS or email, or (even better) by tapping a push notification from the Arlo mobile app.
The move come after Nest’s recent announcement that starting this spring, it would turn on two-factor email authentication for Nest users who haven’t enabled 2FA or have yet to migrate to a Google account.
About a week later, Amazon-owned Ring said that it too would mandate two-factor authentication for its users, with verification codes being sent via text message or email.
Two-step authentication, which generally involves verifying your credentials by punching in a code sent to one of your “trusted” devices, makes for one of the best ways to thwart hackers trying to seize control of your account.
Both Nest and Ring cameras were the targets of numerous attacks over the past several months, with hackers threatening users over the camera’s built-in speakers, speaking to their kids, or even engaging in elaborate hoaxes, such as one in which the attackers warned of incoming missiles from North Korea.