Hotmail is an email account service that has been around for long. From it being the pioneering email service that was free and web based, it then became the front runner for several other email services. Hotmail initially was the first web based email service that made it easy for anyone to sign up for a free email account; however this also attracted several spamming and hacking activities.
In the early days of the service when it became part of the offerings of MSN by Microsoft, people found their accounts hacked into and security of their accounts at stake.
Microsoft then carried out several consolidation efforts. These were aimed towards providing a more secured environment to the different services and account users. Today the two step verification process has been made part of every email and account service of Microsoft including that of Hotmail accounts. This helps ensure that email accounts remain secure and are more difficult to hack into, or exposed to third parties who can infiltrate other’s accounts.
The features of the two step verification process are as follows:
- There are two kinds of identity proof that are required, one is the password associated with an account and the other is using an alternate contact method.
- The two step verification process takes into account different personal and confidential details such as password, an alternate email address, a registered phone number and an authenticator app.
- The two step verification comes into play when one is signing into their account from a new location or device. Usually a security code is emailed or sent as a text message to the registered phone number. This needs to be keyed in at the sign in page in addition to keying in the usual sign in details that include username and password.
With the features of the two step verification process the following advantages are obtained:
- When one activates the two step verification process, users can rest easy that their accounts will be difficult to hack into. Every time such accounts are attempted to be logged in from a different place or device one is prompted to enter a security code that is sent as an email or a text to the registered phone.
- The two step verification feature can be activated by going to the settings of one’s account. Here one can fill in the additional details that are required, such as an alternate email address and registered phone number in order to activate the two step verification feature.
- There is a convenient authenticator app usage offered as well. Hence, for those who opt for using this application, they will get a security code sent to their registered phone which gets authenticated by the email account web page every time they log in. This is a unique way to secure one’s account and not have to remember one’s account password at all times.
The two step verification process is optional and needs to be activated by the user of Hotmail accounts. This is a service that is provided to all Microsoft account users. Even with an integrated platform for logging into any account service of Microsoft, the two step verification process can be applied. Users are encouraged to activate the two step verification process in their account at all times. Also, by ensuring that one has a strong password to safeguard their account one reduces the chances of their accounts being hacked into. The two step verification method takes in two alternate forms of communication from the users. This comes of use when one forgets their password and wishes to reset the same.