Duo is annoying but necessary

Pulling our phones out every single time we want to log into our USC account is annoying, there’s no way around that. While it doesn’t take much time, this daily inconvenience builds each time we have to log into our MyUSC page.  

Gus Anagos, USC’s chief information security officer, explained in a written statement to the Daily Trojan why the university decided to adopt this technology. 

“Think of it as an alarm code in addition to the key to your front door — to better prevent criminals from using your USC email to send malicious emails to other Trojan community members, including those who have access to sensitive data and systems,” Anagos wrote. 

While it is a hassle pressing push every time, it is essential to our digital safety. Our MyUSC accounts are linked to our financial information, medical records, Social Security number, academic information and more. This means that if an individual’s MyUSC account gets compromised, all this information does as well. 

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, it is vital to have a program like Duo to ensure a heightened level of cybersecurity protection. 

In the last few years alone, we’ve seen an enormous shift to digital mediums. The rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin signifies a potential shift to digital currency. Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse project aims to create a pocket virtual reality within our present, physical reality. How can anyone forget NFTs? Controversial digital assets many consider a joke or a money-laundering scheme, but they symbolize how much society is moving toward a completely digital world. 

However, there remain many vulnerabilities within the systems as these technologies are still in their infancy. In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission reported that over $4.5 billion was lost due to identity theft and credit card fraud, 45% higher than in 2019. It is not just public entities that are affected. Last year, T-Mobile fell victim to a massive data breach and exposed around 50 million customers’ data including Social Security numbers, credit card information and phone numbers.

This issue is also apparent on a global scale. China has had the upper hand on the United States for quite some time in terms of cyberattacks. Most recently, China became the main suspect of hacking four U.S defense and tech companies, and the National Security Agency blames the vulnerable software these companies use as the reason for the hacks. Even the most powerful aspect of governments and their defense sector are vulnerable to cyberattacks. 

Cyberattacks are affecting countless people, and without the requisite cybersecurity it will only continue to get worse. Companies and nationwide entities need to not only update security measures but also create new ones that are better suited for the digitized future. 

So what does this mean for students? It likely won’t be the only extra layer of cybersecurity measure we will need. It is annoying and can be an inconvenience, but it is an absolute necessity as technologies continue to evolve. If possible, we should try to add extra layers of security for all our vital information. Banking apps in specific have the option for two-layer security verification so do email and social media accounts. We should take advantage of these features to ensure our protection from cyberattacks. 

With our increasingly digitized lifestyle, it is vital to be aware of how much information we carry around on our phones. We need to stay safe and protect ourselves: Duo is just one example of the armor we must equip ourselves with.