Managing life abroad means dealing with international banking, sensitive documents and relying heavily on cloud services. This is all while using public Wi-Fi networks or unfamiliar devices. In this environment, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) isn’t just an optional security measure, as it is the single most critical tool for safeguarding your finances, identity and personal data from cybercriminals.
Fraudsters are constantly on the lookout to steal people’s private information in the hope of scamming them for money. Everyone’s exposed to these threats, but expats are among those who feel the blow more than others as they travel to a new country with different software and device protection. That’s why exploring 2FA as an expat is considered an essential part of living.
In this guide, we will explore 2FA in-depth and explain how it can benefit expats when they’re moving to a new country and gaining visas in countries like the UK, where obtaining a British Citizenship is very sought after. Continue reading to learn more.
Why Expats Need 2FA
Living abroad can increase your exposure to certain digital threats, so your accounts will be more attractive to cybercriminals. Expats tend to trust public Wi-Fi systems, which are more prone to Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks where hackers can intercept your data. This is the same for over-reliance on mobile devices, as these can be easily stolen compared to desktops so your entire digital life is at risk of being taken advantage of.
Expats are often targeted by specialised phishing and identity theft scams related to visas, banking or residency status. It’s important that you make sure to be careful when entering any visa information. Accessing your home-country bank accounts can also be a danger, but this can be avoided with 2FA which makes it so only you can make the transfer.
Having a Strong 2FA System
Standard passwords can be easily guessed or stolen in a data breach. 2FA provides a crucial secondary layer of defense, ensuring that even if a hacker has your password, they can’t get in. 2FA relies on three factors:
- Something you know (Your password).
- Something you have (Your phone/hardware key).
- Something you are (Biometrics, less common).
A strong 2FA system requires the hacker to compromise both the password and your physical device.
The Best Types of 2FA for Expats
Authenticator Apps
Authenticator apps can generate one-time passwords that last 30 seconds, which can be used to access your accounts. It works offline and is not tied to your phone number or SIM card, meaning you can change countries or providers without losing access. Authy is preferred by many expats, as it allows for cloud backup and multi-device access which is great if your main device is lost or stolen.
Hardware Keys
Having a physical USB or key that requires being plugged into your device to access your accounts can be great for expats, as it’s nearly impervious to phishing attacks. They are perfect for securing high-value accounts like investment portfolios or main email addresses without them getting into the wrong hands.
SMS Codes
While SMS codes are considered the weakest form of 2FA, they are still a very good way of keeping fraudsters out of your accounts. A code is sent to your mobile phone via SMS that can then be entered into the 2FA to access your account. One problem with this is that if you switch to a local SIM card, you could lose access to your home country number and you’ll be locked out of accounts like mobile banking. However, this can be easily avoided by taking care when switching SIM cards.
Your Expat 2FA Action Plan
Enable 2FA on Everything
When setting up 2FA and enabling it, start with your email, banking, social media and any Cloud Storage, as these are the most targeted types of accounts. You can slowly make sure that you have some form of 2FA on every account to keep you totally protected.
Ditch SMS
Where possible, switch your 2FA method from SMS codes to an Authenticator App. While SMS is still a better form of protection than not having it, Authenticator Apps are far safer to use due to it being universal no matter if you switch SIM cards or not.
Backup Codes
When setting up an app-based 2FA, the provider will give you a list of backup codes. Print these out and store them securely in a physical safe or store them digitally in an encrypted password manager that you have access to. These are your only way back in if your phone is lost or broken.
Password Manager
Use a service like 1Password or LastPass to generate unique passwords for every website and use the built-in 2FA generator features many of these managers now offer. This ensures that you don’t have the same password for multiple accounts, which makes expats more prone to data leaks and cyberattacks harming you.