Setup Two-Factor Authentication for your hosting control panel
(The images in this article do not represent the latest version of Joomla! or cPanel® however the content and advice remain accurate.)
You will login to your hosting control panel with a username and password. Cuffe.net will have allocated a strong password for you, if you decide to change the password, please make sure you change it to one that is equally strong.
If anyone guesses your password, they can gain access to your hosting server. The computer you use may have malicious Malware installed harvesting usernames and passwords without your knowledge. Now that you own a website and control a hosting server you must take security very seriously. Using Two-Factor Authentication adds the need for a six-digit pin to be entered in addition to your password, the pin changes every 30 seconds making your login very secure.
The following guidance is based on using the Google Authenticator App and your hosting server being controlled using cPanel ®. Similar 2 factor Apps are available
Download the "Google Authenticator App" and install it on your phone
Other similar apps are available such as
Bitwarden Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator
On your computer open your web browser and navigate to your control panel. In your browser's address bar type your web address followed by a forward slash and the word cpanel. eg: https://yourdomain.com/cpanel. Enter your user name and password then click the login button.
Scroll to the security section on cPanel and click the two-factor Authentication icon
Click the "Setup Two-Factor Authentication " button.
On your phone open the Authenticator App, Tap the + symbol to add a new account, select "Scan a QR code" and scan the barcode on your computer screen, your account will be automatically added.
If the QR scanner does not work, you can choose to enter the setup key manually. Tap the + symbol to add a new account, select "Enter a setup key" enter the account name and key from your computer screen and then click add.
When the account and key is entered your App will save the secret. On the saved account you will see a six-digit number. Enter this number into the security code box on screen. the number on your mobile app changes every 30 seconds, on the google app, slide down from the top or tap and hold to refresh and get the latest number.
Finally click the orange button Configure Two Factor Authentication.
The next time you login to your cPanel with your username and password you will be presented with a further box to complete. Simply enter the six-digit code displayed in the authenticator App to complete the login.