Securing your Facebook account is about to get a whole lot easier as the social media giant has announced that it has extended FIDO support to mobile devices.
This means that you can now set up two-factor authentication and log into the company's iOS and Android apps using a security key.
Since 2017, Facebook has allowed users to secure their accounts on desktop using security keys to help prevent their personal information from being obtained by malicious hackers. Now though, this added protection can be used on mobile devices which are more at risk of getting lost or stolen.
- We've put together a list of the best security keys around
- These are the best identity theft protection services on the market
- Also check out our roundup of the best endpoint protection
When it comes to who should be using a security key, Facebook recommends that politicians, public figures, journalists, human rights defenders and others at high risk of being targeted by malicious hackers consider using one to further secure their accounts.
Securing your social media accounts
Facebook's announcement coincides with the release of new research from the FIDO Alliance which found that 49 percent of users in the UK have either had one of their social media accounts hacked, accessed without their permission or know someone who has.
FIDO's research also found that 64 percent of the UK population were most concerned about protecting their phones when it came to the security of their social media accounts. However, this percentage is even higher among those aged 18-24 at 78 percent as well as quite a bit lower with adults over 65 at 28 percent.
Executive director of the FIDO Alliance, Andrew Shikiar explained why more users are increasingly using security keys to secure their online accounts, saying:
“Social media accounts are increasingly common targets for fraudsters, and we know the major platforms take it very seriously. As more organisations adopt FIDO Authentication we will see incidents of hacks decrease significantly, as it makes organisations and individuals all-but-immune from some of the most successful forms of attacks. Recently we’ve seen a spate of high-profile individuals’ accounts become compromised but as our research shows, anyone who values their private information should consider a FIDO security key.”
- We've also featured the best antivirus software
