Sony has announced that it will increase security for PlayStation owners by adding two-factor authentication to PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts.

The two-step verification is also known as two-factor authentication. It is a process that requires users to enter two different "factors" when logging into a service. Normally, this means something that the users already know (your existing login details) as well as a second piece of information from their phone, typically a six-digit code generated by a mobile app or received in a text message.

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Once the user sign in with their correct username and password, they must also type in the second code in order to complete the login process. Two-step verification is much more secure than a password alone, since it means that a hacker would also need the user’s phone in order to access the account.

“In order to further safeguard our users and their accounts, we are preparing to offer a 2-step verification feature. More details will be shared at a later date,” Sony spokesperson said.

The new feature first arrived via Sony’s 4.80 firmware update for the PlayStation 3 — after updating, users who put in the wrong password saw mention of not-yet-available two-factor authentication. It is available across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, the web, the PlayStation mobile app and the PlayStation Portable.

This move comes after five years when PSN fell into a data breach that exposed 77 million gamers and left the network itself out of commission for weeks. The upcoming feature will reassure the players about the security of their data.

TagsPlaystation network, Two-factor authentication, playstation, sony, playstation network Two-Factor Authentication