[h=3]By MIKE ISAAC | All Things D[/h]After continued high-profile security breaches over the past year, Twitter Inc. announced Wednesday that it will bring increased security features to users, including a way to further verify identities when users log in to their profiles.
"Every day, a growing number of people log in to Twitter. Usually these login attempts come from the genuine account owners, but we occasionally hear from people whose accounts have been compromised by email phishing schemes or a breach of password data elsewhere on the Web," Jim O'Leary, a product security team member, wrote in a blog post.
The new process is much like other two-factor authentication services across the Web. When users try to log in, they are asked to provide a cellphone number. Twitter then sends a code via text message to that number, and the user is asked to enter the code to complete the login. The new feature is optional, and must be turned on inside the settings menu.
Other major Internet companies, including Facebook Inc., have provided the service for a while.
But there are drawbacks. The option adds another layer of security, but it also adds a layer of complexity, particularly for shared Twitter accounts such as those run by brands and agencies, whose social-media presences are managed by multiple people in different places.
This is likely why Twitter said in a recent email to publishers that only one computer should be designated for tweeting; spreading account access across multiple systems is less secure.
"Every day, a growing number of people log in to Twitter. Usually these login attempts come from the genuine account owners, but we occasionally hear from people whose accounts have been compromised by email phishing schemes or a breach of password data elsewhere on the Web," Jim O'Leary, a product security team member, wrote in a blog post.
The new process is much like other two-factor authentication services across the Web. When users try to log in, they are asked to provide a cellphone number. Twitter then sends a code via text message to that number, and the user is asked to enter the code to complete the login. The new feature is optional, and must be turned on inside the settings menu.
Other major Internet companies, including Facebook Inc., have provided the service for a while.
But there are drawbacks. The option adds another layer of security, but it also adds a layer of complexity, particularly for shared Twitter accounts such as those run by brands and agencies, whose social-media presences are managed by multiple people in different places.
This is likely why Twitter said in a recent email to publishers that only one computer should be designated for tweeting; spreading account access across multiple systems is less secure.