Two-factor authentication (2FA), also called multi-factor authentication (MFA), asks for a code from an app on your phone as well as your password. It protects you in situations where a password is leaked. You need to set it up in two places: the hosting admin panel and your login for the billing system. The hosting admin panel is the more important of the two, so start there.
What you need
An authenticator app, such as Google Authenticator or Authy. Password managers such as 1Password and Bitwarden can also store two-factor codes.
Step by step: hosting admin panel
- Log in to the hosting admin panel.
- Click your user profile (it shows your name) and choose Edit Profile. This opens your security profile.
- Find the Multi-Factor Authentication section and click Change the current MFA settings.
- Turn MFA on.
- Scan the code on screen with your authenticator app.
- Enter the verification code the app gives you and click OK.
The next time you log in, the panel asks for the verification code as well as your username and password. There is always a trade-off between security and convenience, but because this is your web hosting we recommend the secure option: enter a code every time you log in.
Step by step: billing system
- Log in to the billing system.
- Click the menu in the top right corner and choose My Account.
- Click Security on the left.
- Click Enable to turn on two-factor authentication.
- Scan the code into your authenticator app, then enter the number it shows to finish.
Check whether your email has been in a data breach
Two-factor authentication matters most when passwords get leaked, or when the same password is used across several services, which is a very common habit. The free Have I Been Pwned website tells you whether your email address has appeared in a known data breach and lists the services involved. If your address is listed, change your password on each of those services.
If you get stuck, our support team can help via a ticket from the client area or live chat. When live chat is offline, the system logs a ticket for you and we will come back to you.