A second lock on every account
Two-step verification asks for a code from an authenticator app as well as a password, so a stolen password alone is never enough to get into your business.
What is two-step verification?
Two-step verification means proving who you are in two different ways when you sign in. The first is something you know: your password. The second is something you have: your phone. You'll also hear it called two-factor authentication, 2FA, or multi-factor authentication, MFA.
It works like the two locks on a front door. A burglar who has copied one key still can't get in without the other. In the same way, someone who has guessed, bought or tricked their way to your password still can't sign in without the code that only your phone can produce.
How the codes work
- 1A shared secret
When you set it up, JobTek shows a QR code. Scanning it gives your authenticator app a secret key that only your phone and JobTek know.
- 2The clock does the rest
Every 30 seconds, your app combines that secret with the current time to work out a fresh six-digit code. JobTek does the same calculation on its side.
- 3The codes match
When you sign in, you type the code your app is showing. If it matches JobTek's, you're in. No signal or internet is needed on your phone.
How it keeps your account safe
Stolen passwords stop working
Without the code from the person's phone, a leaked or guessed password gets nobody in.
Codes expire in seconds
Each code lasts 30 seconds, so a code seen over someone's shoulder is soon useless.
Works anywhere
Authenticator apps make codes without signal, ideal for engineers on site, in basements and in plant rooms.
No text messages
Codes come from an app, not a text message, so they can't be intercepted by SIM-swap fraud.
The terms explained
2FA and MFA
Two-factor authentication and multi-factor authentication. Both mean signing in with more than one kind of proof, such as a password plus a code from your phone.
TOTP
Short for Time-based One-Time Password, the open standard JobTek uses. It's the same standard used by Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator and most other authenticator apps, so you can use the app you already have.
Authenticator app
A free app on your phone that shows the six-digit codes. Popular choices include Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator and the password managers many people already use.
Recovery code
A one-time backup code you save when you switch two-step verification on. If your phone is ever lost, it gets you back in so you can set up your new phone.
SIM-swap fraud
A scam where criminals persuade a mobile network to move your number to their SIM card, so they receive your text messages. App-based codes aren't affected.
Strong without getting in the way
After verifying, people can choose to trust the browser they're using, so they aren't asked for a code every time on their own computer. Administrators can require two-step verification for everyone in the company, and anyone who hasn't set it up is guided through it at their next sign-in. A passkey counts as two-step verification on its own.
Questions about two-step verification
Which plans include it?
Every plan, including JobTek CRM.
Can we make it compulsory?
Yes. Turn on the company rule and everyone sets it up at their next sign-in.
What if someone loses their phone?
They sign in with their one-time recovery code and set up two-step verification on their new phone.
Which apps work?
Any authenticator app that supports time-based codes, including Microsoft Authenticator and Google Authenticator.
Lock down every login today
Start a free trial and switch on two-step verification for your whole team.