Keeping Your Intuit Account Secure: Multi-Factor Authentication and Two-Step Verification

In today's digital world, protecting your online accounts is more important than ever. While a strong password is a great starting point, it's often not enough on its own. This is where extra security measures come in. Intuit, for example, uses advanced security systems to keep user information safe. A key part of this is multi-factor authentication.

Why is Multi-Factor Authentication so Important for Your Account Security?

Multi-factor authentication adds an essential layer of security on top of your password. It's designed to protect your account even if someone manages to steal your password. With multi-factor authentication, they still won't be able to log in without an additional verification step. This makes it much harder for cybercriminals to access your personal information.

Another great benefit of these extra security measures is that they make it easier for companies like Intuit to verify your identity if you ever get locked out of your account or forget your password. This combination of better security and easier account recovery is why multi-factor authentication is a crucial tool for modern account protection.

Understanding the Difference: Multi-Factor Authentication vs. Two-Step Verification

You might hear the terms multi-factor authentication and two-step verification used interchangeably, but they actually work in different ways, especially for Intuit accounts.

What is Multi-Factor Authentication?

Multi-factor authentication is a mandatory security feature for Intuit accounts—you can't turn it off. When you sign in from a device the system doesn't recognize, it automatically sends a one-time passcode to your linked email or phone number to verify it's really you. This approach provides targeted protection exactly when the system detects a potentially unfamiliar login attempt, helping to prevent password theft.

What is Two-Step Verification?

Unlike multi-factor authentication, two-step verification is an optional setting you can turn on. When you enable two-step verification, Intuit will ask for a one-time passcode every time you sign in, regardless of the device you're using. This means even your trusted computer will require a verification code upon login.

With two-step verification, you have the option to receive the code via text, voice message, or through an authenticator app. It's also important to know that if you change the phone number on your Intuit account, two-step verification will automatically be turned off, though you can easily turn it back on.

Check out the video below to hear more about these processes and what you should know about your account verification options.

Key Differences at a Glance

• Mandatory vs. Optional: Multi-factor authentication is a built-in, mandatory security layer. Two-step verification is an opt-in setting you can choose to enable or disable.
• When It's Triggered: Multi-factor authentication is triggered when you sign in from an unrecognized device. Two-step verification, when active, is triggered every time you sign in on any device.
• What It Protects: Multi-factor authentication protects against password theft for unfamiliar logins. Two-step verification provides a consistent layer of security for every single login when it's activated.

Even if you have two-step verification turned off, the system may still ask you to verify your identity if it can't establish a high level of trust based on factors like your device, network, or browser. This shows that Intuit has a baseline level of identity verification in place to prevent your account from being compromised, even without two-step verification enabled.

In short, both multi-factor authentication and two-step verification are powerful tools for securing your online accounts. Multi-factor authentication acts as a foundational, always-on safeguard against unrecognized access, while two-step verification provides an extra, user-controlled layer of verification for every login.

A New Way to Sign In: Passkeys

Intuit is also offering passkeys as a modern and more convenient way to sign in. Passkeys are encrypted digital keys that replace both your password and your two-step verification with a single, secure step.

How Do Passkeys Work?

• Device-Based Security: Passkeys are stored securely on your device (like your phone or computer) and are never shared with the website. This makes them resistant to phishing attacks and impossible for someone to guess.
• Biometric or Screen Lock Access: To use a passkey, you simply sign in the same way you unlock your device—with a face scan, a fingerprint, or a screen lock.
• Cross-Device Syncing: Passkeys are saved to your device's keychain or password manager, so you can use the same passkey to sign in to your Intuit products across multiple devices.

When you've set up a passkey for Intuit, the system will prompt you to use it when it recognizes your device and account. If it doesn't, it will ask you to verify your identity another way before you can use your passkey.

Additional Resources:

For more information on securing your Intuit account, follow the links below.

• Secure your Intuit account and prevent lockout with extra verification methods
• Update your Intuit account’s security settings
• Recover your Intuit account if you can’t sign in
• Use passkeys to sign in to your Intuit account