KickAss Torrents has been updated to include two-factor authentication

With all this talk of security, government snooping and infringement of privacy, one would expect users and companies alike to take note and do something about it. Which is exactly what’s been happening, as we’ve seen in the ongoing Apple vs FBI fight and WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption protocols. A new and completely unexpected entrant has emerged in this fight for privacy in the shape of KickAss Torrents (KAT). A recently rolled-out update now allows registered users to enable two-factor authentication on their KAT accounts. The pirates out there will be aware that KickAss Torrents is a great source for pirated content and was, in fact, rated as the most popular torrent website. ThePirateBay is in second place. It’s interesting to note that a website dedicated to piracy is so worried about user privacy. But then again, torrent sites have always positioned themselves as renegades and rebels who are fighting for a “free” internet. Keeping government snoops and hackers away from user information is a noble cause after all, and should fit well with the torrenting ethos. “Using a username and password together with a piece of information that only the user knows makes it harder for potential intruders to gain access and steal that person’s personal data or identity,” says Mr.Gooner, Mr.President of KAT and yes, that’s his actual username and title. Two-factor authentication is enabled why a third-party app, ensuring account security even if the username and password are compromised.