Step 2 of 9 · Two-Factor on Everything That Matters
TOTP: a shared secret that never crosses the wire again
TOTP: a shared secret that never crosses the wire again — step 2 of 9 in Two-Factor on Everything That Matters. When you scan the QR code, you save a secret. Every 30 seconds your app and the server independently compute the same six digits from that…
Free tech & internet tip: TOTP: a shared secret that never crosses the wire again (step 2 of 9 from "Two-Factor on Everything That Matters").
When you scan the QR code, you save a secret. Every 30 seconds your app and the server independently compute the same six digits from that secret plus the clock. Nobody intercepts it because it never travels after setup.
If the service offers passkey (WebAuthn), prefer it — it is phishing-proof and device-bound. TOTP is the fallback for everything else.
Pro tip: Screenshot the QR only if you encrypt that screenshot in your vault. Otherwise it is a plaintext second factor in your camera roll.
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