![]() Instead of using a counter, however, TOTP uses Unix Time at 30-second intervals, with the rest of the process working similarly to HOTP. The T in TOTP stands for time, and it works similarly to HOTP. This process is carried out simultaneously on the server and the device on which the authentication app is installed, allowing the server to verify that the authenticating user is who they say they are by ensuring that the numbers match. Once the OTP is used, the counter value increments and a new password is issued, ready for our next login. The result is then truncated to 31 bits, with the latest result modulated to 106 to give us a 6-digit integer. HOTP hashes the secret key and a counter value using SHA1 to get a 160-bit result. The H in HOTP stands for HMAC, which itself stands for Hash-based Message Authentication Code. WP 2FA is compatible with both and uses Authenticator apps for TOTP and email for HOTP. TOTP and HOTP are the two different ways in which an algorithm can generate an OTP. What’s the difference between TOTP and HOTP? These two versions work very differently, even though the result is pretty much the same – a 6-digit number. There are two versions of the One Time Password, called TOTP and HOTP. To this end, you can think of the authenticator app as a keyring, with each secret key downloaded to the app being another key in the ring that opens a different door. Multiple keys can be downloaded to one authenticator app, allowing you to use the same authenticator app to log in to different websites. Secret keys are an essential part of the equation, as they allow the authenticator app to generate the passwords we need. Can you use the Authenticator app for multiple 2FA accounts? Once the secret key has been downloaded, the app will automatically start generating the keys that we will use to authenticate ourselves. This effectively syncs the website with the app. The easiest way to do so is by scanning a QR code using your phone’s camera. In that case, we need to download the key from the WordPress website, which the two-factor authentication plugin WP 2FA provides. For example, suppose we want to use the authenticator app to log in to a WordPress website. This secret key is provided by the website that we will be logging into. How to get started with an Authenticator app?īefore an authenticator app can begin to generate OTPs, you must first download a secret key. We will see how this might happen later on in this article. While this is theoretically true, there can be scenarios where you use the same password more than once. Once you have used that password, you cannot use it again to log in. A one-time password, as the name suggests, is a password that you can only use once. The basics of Authenticator appsĪuthenticator apps have one job – to issue an OTP (One Time Password). While they are generally very straightforward to operate and use, what goes on under the surface can help you choose the right kind of authenticator app for you and help you successfully implement 2FA on your WordPress website. Authenticator apps are a crucial part of the 2-Factor Authentication ecosystem.
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