Privacy is becoming a concern for not just communications companies, but also for gaming powerhouses.
Sony is leading the way in the gaming department thanks to its revelation that it will be rolling out two-factor authentication to the PlayStation Network. This is great news for PlayStation customers as they can now be sure of enhanced security as far as their accounts are concerned. The news comes five years after the PlayStation Network was hacked, an attack that saw Sony close the service for up to 23 days as it worked on bringing it back online.
According to Sony, the upcoming 2-step verification feature will be directed towards ensuring that users and their accounts are safe. While the information is already out that the Japanese company will be rolling out an improved security policy, there is no specific date as to when this process will start working on the Sony PlayStation Network. In a statement, the company’s spokesperson only said that more details about the update will be revealed in the coming days.
Two-factor authentication already available for some PlayStation users
Usually, certain upgrades don’t roll out to all users at once. In fact, most updates that come in form of software upgrades will usually reach different devices, users and regions at different times. It is for this reason that at the time of this writing, some PlayStation 3 users are already seeing the two-factor authentication feature. However, this only happens following an update of the device’s firmware to the latest version 4.80.
With this new firmware on PlayStation 3, the system will go into a two-factor authentication mode whenever one enters wrong login details. As it seems, PlayStation Network account holders cannot access this feature at the moment. Given that these accounts are tied to other platforms such as PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and the mobile app, this feature hasn’t shown up on these platforms either.
What is two-factor authentication, really?
Enough of the chitchat! One would be asking, what really is this two-factor authentication all about? Well, as far as the PlayStation Network is concerned, you will be asked to enter two different factors in order to login into the service. In most cases, the initial entry includes your login details, which is basically something you should know. The second factor asked will usually take place on your phone, sometimes a 4 or 6-digit code that will be sent to your device. This code must be entered after providing your login details in order to complete the process.
With two-factor authentication, you are sure of better protection than depending on a mere password. In case someone tries to access your PlayStation Network account, they also need to have your phone to complete the two-step verification. This actually renders it impossible for someone to get into your account without your own authorization.