As a response to overwhelming reports of accounts being hacked, Instagram is beefing up its security by employing a new, two-factor authentication process.
According to Tech Times, Instagram celebrated a 400 million user milestone in September 2015. Being such an immensely popular service, used by everyone from political figures to celebrities like the Kardashians, hacking has been an issue for Instagram on its ascent to social media royalty.
On Tuesday, Instagram confirmed that it was planning on rolling out two-factor authentication after a few observant users noticed it popping up on the social media platform’s website.
Here’s how it will work: when a user, or a hacker, tries to access the account from a new, unverified gadget or platform (a new phone, for example), a verification code must be supplied in addition to the standard login information. The code will be accessed via a text message sent to a phone of the user’s choice.
This type of two-factor authentication might be new to Instagram, but it has been employed by several social media services and various other password protected platforms. Facebook rolled out its “Login Approvals” in 2011, its own solution to two-factor authentication that works the same way as Instagram’s new feature.
In case the phone designated to receive the verification code is, for one reason or another, put out of commission, a two-factor reset code is being employed as well. In the event someone loses their phone, there will be fail safes in place for them to continue to be able to access their account.