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The role of 2-Factor Authentication in developer security

14.09.2023
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In today's ever-evolving digital landscape, ensuring the security of applications is paramount. John Swanson, Director of Security Strategy at GitHub, emphasises the growing significance of normalising two-factor authentication (2FA) within the developer community until it becomes an almost universal practice.

Historically, developers have held mixed opinions about adopting multifactor authentication due to concerns related to friction and potential disruptions in their workflows. Despite the gradual increase in 2FA adoption, some developers still view it as a source of delays. GitHub, as a leading platform for software development, is taking strides to elevate software security standards and spearhead 2FA adoption. Tips on how to improve the effectiveness of 2FA.

Swanson highlights the critical role of a developer's GitHub account, often representing their livelihood. Losing access to such an account due to misconfigured 2FA or lost recovery factors can have severe consequences. GitHub's primary focus is to enhance the durability and resilience of these factors to alleviate developers' fears.

In a video interview with the Information Security Media Group at Black Hat USA 2023, Swanson further delves into:

  • How 2FA bolsters the security of the software supply chain
  • The specific factors embraced by members of the development community
  • The role of collaboration and strategic preparation in reducing support tickets related to 2FA.

Swanson brings nearly 15 years of security and risk expertise to this discussion. His previous roles encompassed leadership positions in incident response, threat detection, threat intelligence, corporate crisis management, product security strategy, risk assessment, and program planning.