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Account Options

2-Factor Authentication

We are proud to offer 2-factor authentication (2FA) as domain and account security are essential elements of our service offerings.... after all, the word "secure" is used in our company tagline! What's more is that, unlike many of our competitors, we offer 2-factor authentication completely for free! Many other companies require you to incur fees to utilize their 2FA systems via ongoing charges for receiving text messages and phone calls - our system only requires the downloading of a 2FA app.

Which 2FA Apps Can I Use?

We recommend Authy which is entirely free and available on all major platforms, but you can use any 2FA application you prefer (such as Google Authenticator). We simply recommend Authy since it has an excellent backup option that many other 2FA apps do not. There are other advantages listed on Authy's site and we also list other reasons we prefer Authy further down on this page, but, again, you can use any 2FA app you like.

How do I setup 2FA for my account?

Simple! All you need to do is visit the Account Maintenance page in your account and you will have the ability to add 2FA right away.

Is Authy hard to setup?

Not at all. The 2FA page in your account will have instructions and links to help you. All you need to do is to download the free Authy app. Once it is downloaded, you can scan the QR code we produce for you and you're all done.

Do I need to enter the 2FA code every time I log in?

No, you do not. When you log in and are prompted for the 2FA code, simply check the "Verify this computer" box. Doing so will set a cookie for your browser that will bypass the 2FA code requirement for future logins. Just be VERY CAREFUL to only use this option if you are positive that nobody else will have access to your browser as they will be able to log in to your account without needing to enter the 2FA code.

What if I have multiple accounts?

Easy. Our 2FA setup will automatically label each account within Authy with your account username. This will allow you to easily setup and access 2FA for each of your accounts.

What if I don't have a QR scanner?

No problem. If you have a functioning camera that is part of your device you can download any number of free QR scanners (Authy will make a recommendation during setup). We also present your 2FA key in plain-text so you can manually enter it instead of scanning the QR. What happens if I lose the device using 2FA, or am unable to enter the correct code? If you are unable to access the correct 2FA code you will not be able to enter your account. First, check that your device has the correct time; since 2FA depends on your device having the correct time, even being a couple minutes off will cause problems. Second, if you use Authy, it securely stores your 2FA information for you; therefore, all you have to do is reinstall Authy on another device, login, and it will automatically download your 2FA information.
If setting the correct time and reinstalling your 2FA application do not resolve the issue, you will need to go through the 2FA removal process.
We unfortunately cannot provide support for Authy or Google Authenticator.

Is this the same as Domain Defender?

No, 2FA is specifically intended to protect your account from being improperly accessed. Domain Defender is intended to prevent changes to your domains and also to alert you of any changes. We recommend using both Domain Defender and 2FA.

Can I use Google Authenticator instead of Authy?

Yes you can, but we recommend Authy because:

  • It securely backs up your 2FA information. Sometimes customers lose their 2FA information (i.e. lost their phone). When this happens, all 2FA logins stop working resulting in a major inconvenience. With Authy, you can easily install it on a new device and it securely imports all of your 2FA information for you.
  • Authy is free and available for most devices (i.e. IOS, Android, Blackberry, and PCs running the chrome browser)
  • It supports scanning QR/OTP information just like GA so there is no loss in functionality.
  • You can optionally secure the application with an additional PIN number before you can see the 2FA codes. This adds an additional layer of security in case your device falls into the wrong hands.
  • Authy allows you to easily sync multiple devices so that they all have access to the same 2FA codes.

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