Is 2FA actually safer if you sync tokens to the cloud?

I spent 4 hours last Tuesday locked out of my bank account because the cloud backup of my authenticator app got wiped when I switched phones, and support wouldn't help without a code I didn't have. Doesn't storing recovery tokens offline defeat the whole convenience point, or am I just being paranoid about the syncing risk? What do you all do when the phone dies?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy_martin3d ago

...and honestly my buddy had the exact same nightmare last month. He lost a whole crypto wallet because his Google Authenticator backup got stuck in an old iCloud state, and he'd deleted the offline codes file off his laptop. He had to jump through hoops for like 3 days with support and ended up missing a payment deadline. Now he keeps a printed sheet of backup codes in his sock drawer AND a USB stick in his car, but that only works if you remember to update it when you rotate tokens. So yeah, syncing is convenient until it's not, but the paranoid route is just a different kind of hassle.

phoenixk643d ago

Betting on a sock drawer backup is just trading crypto anxiety for laundry anxiety. At least the USB stick doubles as a tiny paperweight when you forget why it's in the car.