Twitter rolls out new security option for accounts

Twitter is upgrading its two-factor authentication option for users wanting to maintain a more secure hold on their accounts.

According to a blog post from Twitter, the new system will rely more heavily on the user's smartphone, storing a special key that will unlock access to Twitter on other devices.

When a user logs in from, say, a laptop computer, a notification is sent to the user's smartphone. Within the Twitter app, users can then review the request and either accept or deny. Users will also have backup codes they must save in case they lose their phone.

Currently, Twitter employs a two-factor authentication system that leans on text messaging, sending users a six-digit numeric code they must type in to verify their identity.

Early reports suggest the new option isn't working so smoothly. One reporter from the Los Angeles Times notes the new feature locked him out of his phone. I attempted to turn on the feature and received an error, so users may want to wait for Twitter to hash out these early bugs before enrolling.

The company launched the security option in May after several high-profile accounts had been compromised, including the Associated Press.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @bam923.