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Twitter introduces two-factor authentication, a bit late for Colin Craig

Following several overseas breaches into high profile Twitter accounts overseas (and one closer to home) Twitter has finally given users a tool to protect their accounts by introducing two-factor authentication.

The new system is similar to that used by many banks and Google. Users are sent a TXT message to a phone they've associated to their Twitter account, the message contains a verification code that needs to be used in conjunction with the usual password in order to log in.

Twitter no doubt hopes that its new security tool will prevent incidents like that in April, when the AP's official Twitter account was breached and announced that the White House was under attack causing panic and a minor crash in the stock market.

At this moment the two-factor authentication is voluntary, so people apprehensive of having another step in the log in process can forgo it. Those a bit more security conscious can sign on by ticking a box in the accounts settings page.

An unlikely proponent of Twitter's new security measure is conservative politician Colin Craig, who alleges his own account was hacked yesterday after posting this comment (which was quickly deleted after first appearing):

“The new security feature announced today is a welcome relief,” he says in a press release this morning.

“Unfortunately there are people who see value in attacking public figures and high profile organisations.”

Craig says he has a lead as to who accessed his Twitter and Facebook (which he alleges was also "hacked") and that he will seek the "maximum penalty" against them.

It's more than likely that Craig's accounts weren't hacked and instead the passwords were gleaned either through social manipulation or poor strength.

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