Twitter’s cybersecurity is about to get worse, expert warns

Twitter’s cybersecurity is about to get worse, expert warns

Twitter Blue subscribers will be the only users allowed to use text messages for two-factor authentication after an announcement on Friday.

Professor Asha Rao, School of Science

Topics: Twitter, social media, cybersecurity, two-factor authentication

“Twitter has announced that only users with blue ticks will be allowed to use SMS verification for two-factor authentication. Since it costs Twitter each time a text is sent, it is unsurprising that the company would wish to move away from this method – particularly for non-paying users.

“Even though only 2.6% percentage of people as of December 2021 use two-factor authentication, an overwhelming majority of those (74.4%) use SMS verification.

“With Twitter’s latest policy, we may see even fewer people using two-factor authentication because they don’t realise it can be done another way, such as an app like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, Duo Mobile or 1Password.

“Social media already has a problem with cybersecurity.

“We are lacking in both incentives for positive behaviour and repercussions for social media companies who fail to protect the vast amounts of data they collect on users.

“By contrast, the consequences of unsecure data in the banking and finance sector are obvious to all and the expectations of companies in this space – both legally and socially – reflect that. This is not the case for companies like Twitter or Meta, which have poor cybersecurity practices and policies.

“Social media companies could be creating technology solutions to authentication and building these solutions into their platforms. But, thus far, we haven’t seen any of the social media giants proactively tackling cybersecurity in this way.”

Professor Asha Rao is the Associate Dean of Mathematical Sciences within the School of Science at RMIT University. She is a trans-disciplinary researcher working across mathematics, cybersecurity and gender equity in STEM.

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For interviews contact RMIT Communications, 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au

20 February 2023

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20 February 2023

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