Cybersecurity Centre launches campaign to promote two-step verification for online safety
Belgium's Cybersecurity Centre has launched a campaign to promote the use of two-step authentication (2FA) for securing online accounts.
The initiative aims to highlight the role that 2FA can play in preventing cyberattacks, with experts saying that 80 per cent of hackings in Belgium could have been avoided through this security measure.
2FA requires an additional layer of security beyond a password. For example, logging into email or social media would require not only a password but also a one-time code sent via text message or generated by an authentication app.
Other forms of 2FA include facial recognition, thumbprint scanning and security tokens. This security feature is already commonplace in online banking, such as the itsme login app.
"We need to convince people that if you only log in with a password, you are actually sitting ducks"
"With two-step verification, you are much better protected. Because without it, you are not really protected," said Miguel De Bruycker, director-general of the Cybersecurity Centre, at the campaign's launch event.
The campaign, which will kick off in October, seeks to raise awareness about the importance of 2FA. "We need to convince people that if you only log in with a password, you are actually sitting ducks," De Bruycker said. The CCB's research, in conjunction with the federal police, shows that most hacking could have been prevented if users had enabled two-step verification.
© VIDEO SAFEONWEB.BE
In a symbolic gesture, the campaign has declared Herstappe, Belgium’s smallest municipality with just over 70 residents, the "Safest e-village in Belgium". The spotlight on this village reflects the campaign’s goal of making 2FA a widespread habit across the country, even in the most remote areas.
Ethical hacker Inti De Ceukelaire of the internet security firm Intigriti pointed out that passwords alone are no longer sufficient in the face of technologies like artificial intelligence.
"It has become much easier to find out people's passwords," he said, explaining that AI can be used to craft personalised phishing emails, leveraging information gleaned from social media. "It is almost impossible to hack someone if they use two-step verification."
Karel Baert, CEO of banking federation Febelfin, reinforced the message by citing a recent survey by Indiville, which illustrated the growing threat of online fraud. Despite banks successfully blocking or recovering three-quarters of fraudulent transfers linked to phishing in 2023, around 40 million euros were still lost to such scams.
This year, 55 per cent of Belgians have received at least one phishing message. "Two-step verification is a simple solution to better protect all accounts," Baert said.
The issue is not just a corporate or government issue. “Cybercrime is a very material, very big problem,” said Jan De Blauwe of the Cyber Security Coalition, adding that individuals can also suffer significant losses, including their savings if hacked.
The campaign encourages people to make 2FA a regular practice, starting with their email accounts and expanding to any platform that stores sensitive data, such as social media and e-commerce sites.
A July survey found that while 57 per cent of respondents use 2FA for websites where bank details are stored, only 51 per cent use it for work accounts, 52 per cent for private email accounts, 47 per cent for social media and just 35 per cent for gaming accounts.
© PHOTO JUNG YEON-JE / AFP
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