Google brings iPhone support for an important security feature

In the age of digital security, two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is one of the most important lines of defense against a wide array of cybersecurity issues. Recently, Google released an update to let iPhone users take advantage of this tech a lot more easily.

Need a refresher on what 2FA is? Basically, it’s a security system that requires two different authentication mechanisms to bypass, which are often based on something you know or have, such as a password or security key. Over decades, this technology has been integrated neatly into our lives, as the PIN code on your ATM card, perhaps, or, more recently, as those ubiquitous codes texted to you whenever you do basically anything.

Several years ago, Google announced a new way of using 2FA, where your phone can act as its own security key, or one of the two factors you need to unlock your account. You might have run into this system if you’ve recently tried to reset your Gmail password from your computer—you were probably able to reset it just by interacting with a notification on your phone. The system is super simple, easy to use, fast, and secure.