On mobile, the SMS 2FA workflow is considerably easier due to the OS auto-fill capabilities mentioned above. With SMS, it’s only necessary for the user to manually enter the OTP into the browser. Both TOTP and SMS 2FA are susceptible to phishing attacks though, where a user is tricked into forwarding a code to an attacker. When the new TOTP code is generated, the previous code will be automatically invalidated. In contrast, TOTP token-generated codes generate every 15 to 20 sec and are only available in a device-tied application, which removes the SIM swap attack and reduces the potential time frame of attacks significantly. If the code is intercepted through a SIM swapping attack, this allows for attackers to break into users’ accounts. Pending codes remain in effect for the amount of time the application sets (often at least a couple minutes to allow ample time for the user, but the maximum is typically bound at 10 minutes to reduce the attack surface). With SMS 2FA, the server generates and sends the random code to the phone of the user. SMS: Why Is TOTP more secure than SMS?īoth SMS 2FA as well as TOTP 2FA use unique passwords to secure accounts. Additionally, TOTP-based 2FA does not rely on a phone number, so it can be used with any device that has the app installed. TOTP-based 2FA is considered to be more secure than SMS-based 2FA because it is less susceptible to intercepts and spoofing. To access your account, you need to enter the current code displayed in the app. TOTP-based 2FA, on the other hand, uses an app on your smartphone to generate a one-time code that changes every 30 seconds. Provider downtime or poor cell coverage can both complicate reliability of this method. In addition to these security concerns, SMS 2FA also involves reliability risk as you’re dependent on mobile carriers (and a SMS provider’s uptime) for delivery of the authentication code. This type of attack is particularly concerning because it can bypass most two-factor authentication systems that rely on text messages. Once they have control of the number, they can use it to reset the victim’s password on any account that uses the phone number as a form of verification and gain access to sensitive information such as bank accounts, emails, and social media profiles. A SIM-swap attack is a type of cyber attack in which a malicious actor convinces a mobile carrier to reassign a mobile number to a SIM card they control. The major security shortcomings are phishing – where a user is deceived into sharing the passcode with an attacker – and SIM-swap attacks. However, SMS 2FA is not considered as secure as TOTP-based 2FA. It offers a particularly seamless experience on mobile due to the auto-fill capabilities on iOS and Android that allow a user to stay within the application experience when inputting the passcode. This option is familiar and easy for users. It works by sending a one-time code to your mobile phone via text message, which you then enter to access your account. SMS-based 2FA is the most widely used type of 2FA. In this post, we’ll examine the two most popular MFA options today (SMS 2FA and TOTP 2FA), their relative security levels, and strategies for increasing user adoption. SMS 2FA (which uses one-time passcodes), for example, are less secure but more widely adopted by consumers, while phishing-resistant options like hardware keys or device-tied biometrics are more secure but less adopted. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a crucial solution for this problem, but it can be difficult to determine which options are the most secure and user-friendly for a particular application. Hackers have stolen over 555 million passwords since just 2017, which is why security professionals now view passwords as “pre-breached” when designing identity and access management policies. With the staggering number of data breaches in recent years – 45% of US companies alone suffered a breach in 2021 – it’s become clear that traditional passwords alone are no longer a sufficient form of security for preventing account takeovers.
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