Two-factor authentication has been rapidly gaining ground as a potential solution for many common security ails, and as such, many companies have been taking a closer look at the phenomenon as a way to help bolster users' security and, from there, the entire user experience. One of the newest such uses of the two-factor authentication solution is Twitter (News - Alert), though it won't be available for some time.

Twitter's two-step security solution, at last report, is up and operational. But the reason that no user will actually be able to put it into play yet is because the solution is still undergoing some "internal testing," and, once completed, will be gradually rolled out to users. Users will then have the option to put the two-factor authentication system to work in the relevant accounts. Reports indicate that Twitter has been working on this concept since back around February, when a jobs posting went up looking for software engineers able to build the two-factor solution.

Under a two-step security solution – some refer to it as a two-factor or even a multifactor solution – a user inputs a password as normal, but instead of getting access to an account, the user gets access to the second stage of authorization, a second password sent only to a registered device, often via a text message or smartphone application.

It's easy to see how recent events have thrown a little extra urgency into the whole affair; most recently, the Associated Press (News - Alert) was hit by a Twitter attack that was attributed by many as being the cause of a drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average by about 145 points. But with several other notable Twitter hacks recently coming to light, from the New York Times to the BBC and even Justin Bieber, it's clear that offering a little extra security, especially for high-profile accounts, may be worthwhile.

Even those who don't have smartphones won't likely be left out in the cold; Microsoft was recently spotted testing a two-factor authentication system that used a Web-based app for its second step.

It's easy to see why some, especially those with corporate or high-profile Twitter accounts, would want that extra layer of security. Between phishing attacks that can look as good as a full corporate release and other methods of password cracking and unauthorized entry, it's clear there are plenty of methods to gain unauthorized access, or even authorized access under false pretenses. Not everyone would likely need, or even want, that extra protection, but it would be, all the same, good to know it was there.

Protecting a user's accounts is the first big step to ensuring a great user experience. Two-factor authentication may not be for everyone, but it's certainly going to give peace of mind to some, especially in the short term.