Google Apps is going to enable unsolicited two-factor authentication

Google is going to enable two-factor authentication for all users on Apps domains. If a suspicious login attempt is detected, users receive a code on their mobile that they must retype as verification.

The new functionality will be rolled out to all Apps domains in the coming weeks, Google has announced according to Cnet indicated. Google Apps is the business service of the Mountain View company, which allows companies and other institutions to offer users access to Google services such as Gmail and Drive under their own domain name.

By default, Google already offers users the option to enable two-factor authentication, which requires users to retype a verification code with each new login session. For example, it can be generated by a mobile application or sent via SMS. The mandatory two-factor authentication, on the other hand, only takes effect if a suspicious login attempt has been detected. The user will then receive a verification code by SMS that he must retype.

If users don’t have a phone with them or don’t have coverage, they won’t be able to log in. In that case, they should ask an administrator to disable the login challenge, according to a page of information Google has online put. Switching off can only be done temporarily. It is not known whether ‘normal’ Google accounts will also be provided with mandatory two-step authentication in due course.