In August 2016, Social Security introduced two factor authentication for claimants using its online systems. It was a fiasco. The public hated it. The agency quickly backed away.
They're not letting that set them back. They're now planning to again require two factor authentication as of June 10. Users will have the choice of receiving the second factor either by text message or e-mail message.
Will the public find this any more acceptable? Will it actually improve security?
6 comments:
it's a little more hassle, but I think it does improve security.
It adds a level of complexity to those assisting individuals with SSA problems. Social services workers will have more difficulty getting information and may have to send people to wait in the SSA office, many many many of the people I see are over 70 and do not text. This assumption made that everyone has a smartphone and internet is getting out of hand and reflects the elite view of reality not how the world gets by.
I would rather have two factor authentication than the current SSA method of asking for my monthly payment amount. I could check my budget spreadsheet on my computer and say the amount but I may not have updated the amount after the new year started when the COLA was only increased by a fraction of a percent. So my amount could be a few cents off. Then the SSA person says they can't help me and I have to hang up the phone, contact my bank, get the new amount, and then call back and wait in the phone queue again while the battery dies on my phone. Inefficient! I would much rather have the two factor authentication that go through this headache every year.
More people have email than have text capability, so this is a giant step forward. Security will be enhanced.
I hope it works better than the two factor system we use for the ODAR access. Half the time the code texted to me doesn't work.
@5:50 They're giving people a choice between getting a code by email or by text
Post a Comment