Emails ,and other credentials are often stolen in data breaches and through phishing campaigns. Once they have access to this information, malicious entities can very easily hack an account.
However, with the activation of two-factor authentication (2FA), these entities will need a trusted device or phone number to actually gain access. Bad actors are developing methods to bypass this requirement, but it is still an added layer of protection. While 2FA isn’t perfect, it’s much better than relying on a password alone.
And now a California man is suing Apple because he thinks its two-factor authentication measure is too time-consuming and overly restrictive.
The lawsuit, filed by Jay Brodsky in California, alleges that Apple allowed two-factor authentication to be performed on the plaintiff's account without his explicit consent. (It's worth noting that this feature is actually only offered on an optional basis.)
On the other hand, the lawsuit also argues that two-factor authentication is too cumbersome to actually set up – requiring multiple steps across multiple devices.
The lawsuit claims that the security measure is too intrusive. Or, as the complaint puts it, two-factor authentication “enforces an external logging process that requires the user to remember both the password and have access to a trusted device or phone number.” (That’s how 2FA is intended to work.)
Brodsky also claims that Apple has a “forced” policy of not allowing users to disable 2FA after it’s enabled. That’s true. But then again, Apple does allow users to voluntarily enable 2FA — and even offers a two-week grace period in which to disable the feature.
There are other, more dubious claims in the lawsuit. For example, the lawsuit states that 2FA is required every time an Apple device is turned on and that the authentication process takes two to five minutes to complete. Neither of these claims are true or by any stretch of the imagination.
Brodsky claims that there are “millions” of Apple users who are suffering “harm” and “financial loss” because 2FA wastes their time and interferes with the normal use of their devices, and is seeking compensation.
Two-factor authentication is recommended as an added layer of security for your accounts. Learn more about 2FA here.
