Shield Protocol App (Shield 2FA) is the first 2-Factor Authentifcation (2FA) service to integrate blockchain (Binance Smart Chain) for backup of 2FA secrets, replacing centralised servers like Amazon, Google Cloud, Microsoft azure etc.
2FA is an extra layer of security used to make sure that people trying to gain access to an online account are who they say they are.
First, a user will enter their username and a password. Then, instead of immediately gaining access, they will be required to provide another piece of information.
This second factor (secrets) could come from one of the following categories:
- Something You Know – This could be a personal identification number (PIN), a password, answers to ‘secret questions’ or a specific keystroke pattern
- Something You Have – Typically, a user would have something in their possession, like a credit card, a smartphone, or a small hardware token
- Something You Are – This category is a little more advanced, and might include biometric pattern of a fingerprint, an iris scan, or a voice print
The project says it is delivering two-factor authentication on the blockchain for the first time, and this means users can back up and restore their accounts with the service.
So far, Shield 2FA is able to backup these secrets on the following chains:
- Binance Smart Chain (BSC)
- Kucoin Community Chain
- Fantom Opera
- Polygon
3 main advantages are offered by 2FA secured on a blockchain:
- Fault Tolerant – As there is no single node controlling the data transaction and data records in the P2P decentralised network, there is no single point of failure in Shield 2FA. It’s distributed nature supports this very strongly.
- No Internet Censorship – It controls and prevents Internet censorship violation as there is no central controlling authority owning the Shield protocol network. So if someone tries to manipulate with data sets in their favour, it is practically not possible. If a government authority tries to block anything, it will not be possible as the DApp doesn’t lie on any particular IP address, essentially being decentralised in nature.
- Enhanced Trust On The System – As no single entity owns the DApp, it helps users to have confidence and trust on the Shield’s 2FA system against any data theft and manipulation.
The 2FA backup service is available through the Shield DApp, downloadable on the PlayStore as well, as on iOS. The app also presents several other functions that Shield is introducing as shown below:
Besides the exchanges listed above, Shield Protocol is compatible with some of the world’s biggest social networks – including Facebook and Twitter.
