Tutorial: protect your account with two-step authentication

Your falcondatabase account controls every project, key and table you own. A leaked password shouldn't be enough to get in. Two-step authentication (2FA) adds a 6-digit code from your phone that changes every 30 seconds.

What you need

Any app that supports TOTP codes: Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, Bitwarden, Proton Pass…

1. Enable it

1. Open the avatar menu → Settings (or go to http://falcondatabase.com/settings/).
2. In Two-step authentication click Enable two-step authentication.
3. Scan the QR code with your app. If you can't scan it, type the key shown next to it.
4. Enter the 6-digit code the app shows and press Verify and enable.

2. Save your recovery codes

Right after enabling it you'll see 8 recovery codes like 3fa9c1-07be42.

• Each one lets you sign in once if you don't have your phone.
• They are shown only this time. Copy them into your password manager or print them.
• When you have two or fewer left, falcondatabase reminds you to generate new ones.

3. Signing in from now on

1. Enter your username (or email) and password as usual.
2. You'll be asked for the authentication code. Type the current code from your app, or a recovery code.

For your safety:

• Each code works only once.
• After 5 wrong codes you have to start again with your password.
• The verification step expires after 5 minutes.

Manage it

In Settings → Two-step authentication, after confirming your password, you can:

• New recovery codes — invalidates the old ones and shows 8 new codes.
• Disable — removes the second step.

Lost your phone and your codes?

Ask the administrator. On the Users page they can reset two-step authentication for your account. You'll then sign in with just your password and can enable it again with your new phone.

For administrators

• The Users page shows which accounts have 2FA enabled.
• Encourage everyone with access to important projects to enable it, starting with your own admin account.