For years, the advice has been to turn on multi-factor authentication: the second step beyond your password that proves it's really you. That advice still holds: a second step is far safer than a password alone. But not every second step is created equal, and the most familiar one, a code texted to your phone, has quietly become the weakest of the bunch.
Those four- or six-digit codes by text are convenient and everyone knows how to use them. The problem is that text messaging was never built to be secure, and attackers have found reliable ways around it. If your business handles anything sensitive, it's time to understand what stronger options look like, and how to move to them without making everyone's day harder.
Why text codes fall short
Text messaging runs on aging phone-network technology that was designed for convenience, not security. There are well-known weaknesses in how carriers pass messages around that skilled attackers can exploit to intercept a code without ever touching your phone.
There's a simpler problem, too. If someone is tricked into typing their username, password, and texted code into a convincing fake login page, the attacker captures all three in real time and walks straight into the real account. The code does nothing to stop it.
The SIM-swap: low-tech, high-damage
The nastiest weakness doesn't require any hacking at all. In a "SIM swap," a scammer calls your mobile carrier, pretends to be you, claims they lost their phone, and asks to move your number to a new SIM card they control. If a support rep falls for it, your phone goes dark and every call and text, including your security codes, starts arriving on the attacker's device. From there they can reset passwords and take over your accounts. It's pure persuasion aimed at a phone-company employee, and it works far too often.
The stronger options, in plain terms
The fix is to stop relying on a code that can be intercepted and move to methods that are hard to phish, meaning they can't be handed over to a fake login page even by accident. There's a range, from very strong to very convenient, and you don't have to pick just one.
Hardware security keys
A hardware key is a small physical device, about the size of a USB stick, that you plug in or tap against your phone to sign in. There's no code to type: the key and the service do a private handshake behind the scenes. Because there's nothing to steal over the internet, an attacker would have to physically take the key out of your pocket to get in. It's the strongest option, and a good fit for your most sensitive accounts.
Authenticator apps
If keys aren't practical for everyone, an authenticator app, like Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator, is a clear step up from text codes. The app generates the code right on the phone, so there's no message traveling across the carrier network for anyone to intercept or SIM-swap their way into.
One thing to watch: simple "tap to approve" notifications can be abused. Attackers sometimes spam a person with approval requests until they tap "yes" just to make it stop, a trick called MFA fatigue. The better apps now use "number matching," where you have to type a number shown on your screen into the app, which proves you're actually the one signing in.
Passkeys
Passkeys are the most user-friendly of the strong options. A passkey is a secure credential stored on your device and unlocked with your fingerprint or face, with no password to remember at all. They're hard to phish, they sync across the devices you already use, and they offer key-like security with the convenience of just being yourself. They also cut down on support headaches, since there's no password to reset or forget.
Bringing your team along
Moving off text codes is as much a people change as a technical one. Folks are used to the simplicity of a text, so a new app or a physical key can meet some grumbling at first. The trick is to explain why: walk through how a SIM swap actually works and what's at stake. When people understand the risk, they get on board far more easily.
A gradual rollout helps the wider team adjust. But for the accounts that matter most, owners, managers, and anyone with admin access, the stronger methods shouldn't be optional. Those are exactly the accounts attackers go after first.
The cost of leaving it alone
Sticking with text-code security can give a false sense of safety. It might check a compliance box, but it leaves the door open to attacks that are both expensive and embarrassing to clean up after. Upgrading is one of the best-value moves in security: the cost of a few hardware keys or some setup time is tiny next to the cost of recovering from a break-in.
If you'd like a hand figuring out the right mix of methods for your business, and rolling it out so it protects people without frustrating them, that's exactly what we do. You might also like our guide to what really keeps a stolen password from hurting you.