Secure desktop login with a one-time token

Geminess, 123RF

Double Check

Valentin Hoebel

Desktop login normally requires only a username and password, and both are often easy to guess. For better protection, you can implement two-step authentication using a PAM module and a free mobile app.

The usual desktop login using a username and password provides some rudimentary security against unauthorized access, but it's not always enough. Users often use weak passwords and even write them on a sticky note placed on their monitor. You don't need to be a security expert to realize that unauthorized logins under such circumstances are not that hard.

Other authentication methods that provide an additional step are much more secure. One approach is generating unique one-time-use tokens – password-like strings – that provide an extra level of security. The computer requests the one-time password (OTP) at login together with the other credentials.

The secret is that only an authorized user has access to the one-time token. Unauthorized third parties (e.g., colleagues) can't get the OTP and, therefore, cannot log in. These methods are also referred to as two-factor, or two-step, authentication.

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