Twitter boosts security, adds two-step verification for login

New York: Twitter is adding an extra security measure to users' accounts in an effort to prevent unauthorized logins.

Twitter said in a blog post Wednesday that users will be able to enroll in a login verification program. For those who sign up, Twitter will send a six-digit code using a text message each time they sign in to Twitter.com. Besides their username and password, users will have to enter the code as well to log in.

Microsoft Corp., Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. already allow two-step verification as an option. Twitter has been criticized for not having this option, especially following recent breaches of Twitter accounts belonging to major news organizations and other companies.

Unlike the other Internet companies, though, Twitter will ask users for a verification code each time they log out and log back in, even if it's from the same computer. The others allow you to bypass that if you are using the same computer regularly. Microsoft began offering two-step verification last month. Facebook and Google have offered them longer.

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Twitter users can sign up for two-step verification under their account settings. To do this, Twitter will ask for either a confirmed email address associated with the account or a phone number that's been verified. Even as the two-step verification process adds an extra security layer to Twitter logins, Twitter said users should still take common precautions. That includes selecting complex passwords that are unique to their Twitter account, and not clicking on suspicious email links.

Associated Press