MEPX
Chapter 6 of 10All chapters
  1. 1What makes a password strong
  2. 2The reuse problem
  3. 3Password managers
  4. 4Two factor authentication
  5. 5Passkeys
  6. 6Recovery and backup access
  7. 7Breaches
  8. 8Phishing your credentials
  9. 9Where secrets live
  10. 10A realistic plan

Chapter 6 of 10

Recovery and backup access

The way in that you forgot about.

The weakest door

An account is only as strong as its recovery path. An old phone number, a disused address or a guessable security question undoes strong protection elsewhere.

  • Review recovery details on your main accounts once a year.
  • Invent and store answers to security questions rather than answering honestly.

Losing your second factor

Store recovery codes offline, register a second key or a second device, and consider a trusted contact where the service supports it. Plan this before the phone is lost.