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I don't understand how people recover from unexpectedly losing their phone. How do you get back into your accounts with 2FA?
by Kiro 4y ago
I don't understand how people recover from unexpectedly losing their phone. How do you get back into your accounts with 2FA?
- CatWChainsaw 4y agoIn a sense, humans already have to be cyborgs to function in modern society.
- meindnoch 4y agoI guess you'd write an "Ask HN" post and hope that a Google engineer notices. Same for GitHub.
- windowsrookie 4y agoI specifically have multiple phones setup with my Google Authenticator account for this reason. If you don't have a spare phone, I recommend purchasing a used old android phone for $30 just for the peace of mind.
- schrodinger 4y ago1Password on a laptop can hold google auth keys
- patrickdavey 4y agoJust curious - what's wrong with backup codes?
- Too 4y agoIf you are really paranoid. Backup codes can be copied without you noticing. Even bigger risk if you bring them along while traveling, or worse, leave unattended in hotel room. The Authenticator apps store keys in Secure Enclave (or at least I hope so). Which in themselves are 2fa by not being copyable thus requiring direct access to unlocked phone before using. Of course that also comes with bigger risk of you locking yourself out, by forgetting Lock Screen password or phone getting bricked for some stupid reason. Printed paper don’t have that problem, except can also easily be lost.
- worble 4y agoThere's a reason 2FA always gives you backup codes? If you didn't write them down that's on you.
- evanpurkhiser 4y agoHere's my solution: https://github.com/evanpurkhiser/recovery https://github.com/evanpurkhiser/recovery
- sowbug 4y agoSimilar: https://github.com/sowbug/quaid https://github.com/sowbug/quaid
- layer8 4y agoMaintain a second device (doesn’t have to be a phone) with your 2FA codes.
- ghusto 4y agoYou know those backup codes they make you say you've printed before you can complete setup?
- piperswe 4y agoMy 2FA is all using Yubico Authenticator, so even TOTP codes are on my Yubikey rather than my phone. I keep my backup codes in 1Password in case I lose my keychain.