On Monday, Twitter will start charging users for SMS codes used for two-factor authentication (2FA). The organization, which was bought by Elon Musk in October 2022, declared last month that, in order to secure their accounts, only users who had paid to subscribe to Twitter Blue would be able to receive login codes through SMS. After entering their password, the service still enables customers to protect their accounts with a second authentication method.
As of today, March 20, only Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to use SMS as a 2FA authentication method, according to a statement made by Twitter last month. Now, users of the microblogging service have the option of employing a physical security key, a third-party authenticator app, or an SMS login code in addition to a password to secure their accounts.
At the time, Twitter announced that users would have 30 days to remove SMS-based 2FA from their account settings. The company also announced that it was blocking SMS login codes for regular Twitter users because it thought “bad actors” were abusing the 2FA authentication method that relied on text messages.
The cost of Twitter Blue is Rs. 900 for a monthly plan and Rs. 9,400 for an annual plan. While these costs apply to customers who sign up using their smartphones, the business also provides more affordable options using the Web interface, which costs Rs. 650 per month or Rs. 6,800 annually. The withdrawal of SMS-based 2FA may leave countless Twitter accounts without protection from hackers, despite the fact that SMS codes are generally regarded as a less secure 2FA technique than authenticator apps and hardware security keys.
After Twitter stops supporting SMS-based two-factor authentication on Monday, users who want to keep their Twitter accounts protected with a second layer of authentication can either buy and enroll a hardware security key or use our guide to set up a free third-party app like Authy, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or the open-source Aegis Authenticator app.
