this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2024
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A security breach exposed two-factor authentication (2FA) codes/password reset links for millions of users on platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok.

Key Points:

  • YX International, an SMS routing company, left an internal database exposed online without a password.
  • The database contained one-time 2FA codes and password reset links for various tech giants.
  • YX International secured the database and claims to have "sealed the vulnerability."
  • The company wouldn't confirm how long the database was exposed or if anyone else accessed it.
  • Representatives from Meta, Google, and TikTok haven't commented yet.

Concerns:

  • This leak highlights the vulnerabilities of SMS-based 2FA compared to app-based methods.
  • The lack of information regarding the leak's duration and potential access by others raises concerns.

Gemini Recommendations:

  • Consider switching to app-based 2FA for increased security.
  • Be cautious of suspicious communications and avoid clicking unknown links.
  • Stay informed about potential security breaches affecting your online accounts.
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[–] [email protected] 111 points 8 months ago (3 children)

It's a great recommendation to use app-based 2FA, except that lots of services seem to insist on and only offer SMS OTP.

For instance out of all the financial establishments I do business with, only one offers the option. The big name players don't, it's only some tiny little mom & pop CU that does.

It's very much a business adoption issue.

[–] ozymandias117 57 points 8 months ago (2 children)

App-based is also unacceptable if it’s a proprietary implementation

TOTP/HOTP are the best standards right now

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I like a combo of Yubikey and Bitwarden, personally.

[–] ozymandias117 18 points 8 months ago

Yeah, Yubikey fits - it implements TOTP/HOTP, and bitwarden is great

Just “app-based” worried me about apps rolling their own implementations instead of using standards

[–] rolling_resistance 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Have you ever used HOTP before? Convenience-wise, it's much worse than TOTP. It's not supported by popular apps, you can't use it on several devices unless there's synchronization, you never know if the code you're looking at was used already.

[–] ozymandias117 3 points 8 months ago

Yeah, it’s much less convenient. I prefer TOTP, but I will pick HOTP over Cisco Duo’s proprietary implementation that I can’t use without their specific app if those are my only options

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Not sure if you do business with them, but Charles Schwab does have a app-based MFA option - although that’s limited to Symantec’s own TOTP MFA.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

A lot of sites say they only support one specific MFA app. But in my experience, any MFA app that can read the QR code will work.