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Why Do Companies Not Use Existing 2FA Standards? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by kill_dash_nine@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.ml

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This is something I am seeing more and more of. As companies start to either offer or require 2FA for accounts, they don't follow the common standards or even offer any sort of options. One thing that drives me nuts is when they don't offer TOTP as an option. It seems like many companies either use text messages to send a code or use some built in method of authorizing a sign in from a mobile device app.

What are your thoughts on why they want to take the time to maintain this extra feature in an app when you could have just implemented a TOTP method that probably can be imported as an existing library with much less effort?

Are they assuming that people are too dumb to understand TOTP? Are they wanting phone numbers from people? Is it to force people to install their apps?

*edit: I also really want to know what not at least give people the option to choose something like TOTP. They can still offer mobile app verification, SMS, email, carrier pigeon, etc for other options but at least give the user a choice of something besides an insecure method like SMS.

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[–] philluminati@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think it’s because TOTP requires some sort of initial token sync that is more complicated than entering a telephone number. There’s also no need to have people backup codes etc. To use Authy for example I need to photograph a QR code and have a smart phone.

Text message as a solution works on older non-smart phones so it’s possibly the “most widely accessible” solution.

From a backend perspective as well it’s just an API text $random to $phone.