- Aug 17, 2014
- 11,111
Ring announced today the roll-out of mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) to all user accounts, as well as the inclusion of additional security and privacy controls over third-party service providers, and the choice to opt-out of personalized advertising.
"While we already offered two-factor authentication to customers, starting today we’re making a second layer of verification mandatory for all users when they log into their Ring accounts," Ring President Leila Rouhi said."This added authentication helps prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to your Ring account, even if they have your username and password."
This change comes after attackers terrified homeowners after taunting them or speaking to their children over their Ring devices' speakers following a series of hacks targeting Ring cameras.
A statement released by Ring at the time said that the attackers were gaining access to the cameras through credential stuffing attacks and that no unauthorized access to Ring's systems or networks was detected.
2FA for extra account security
This means that starting today when Ring users will log in to their accounts on their mobile phone or computer, they will receive one-time and randomly generated six-digit codes designed to verify their login attempts, a code that will have to be entered in addition to their username and password.
"You can choose to receive this one-time passcode via the email address you have listed on your Ring account or on your phone as a text message (SMS)," Rouhi added.
Enabling 2FA for their accounts will allow users to add an extra security layer that a password is not able to provide on its own. 2FA will thus block someone else that might have gained access to their password from logging into their account if they don't also have access to the trusted device used to receive the 2FA codes.
"Requiring this code will help ensure that the person trying to log into your account is you. This mandatory second layer of verification will begin rolling out to users today," Rouhi further explained.