Getting Used to Device Security

I have made the point before that security and convenience tend to conflict. Having a secure password is harder than having one that’s easy to remember. Generally, if it’s easy to remember it’s easy to crack.

Two-Factor Authentication is similarly inconvenient. I was reminded of that today when I was logging into a site and noticed that the code in my Google Authenticator app was about to expire, so that I had to wait a couple of extra beats to get a code I had time to type in. It would be easy to say that 2FA is too much work.

But think about this: We still lock our houses, and many of us even have home security systems. That also means it takes longer to get back in when we return. We rarely complain about the time it takes to unlock our doors. Why? Because we have become accustomed to this and expect it. Somehow, the electronic thief seems less real to us than the break-and-enter artist waiting around the corner.

So work on getting used to the fact than an unsecured electronic device is a disaster waiting to happen. The bother will be a great deal more intense than you probably imagine. Learn to lock your devices as naturally as you lock your house or your car, and learn to complain as little.