{"id":1278,"date":"2022-07-21T09:30:48","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T09:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1278"},"modified":"2023-04-26T15:32:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T15:32:19","slug":"guide-2fa-sms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/guide-2fa-sms\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete Guide to 2fa SMS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1278\" class=\"elementor elementor-1278\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-31c31cb3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"31c31cb3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7bfd311d\" data-id=\"7bfd311d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f2de287 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2f2de287\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A guide to 2fa SMS (two-factor authentication)<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n<p>In recent years, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/developers#otp-intro\">SMS two-factor authentication<\/a><\/strong> has become increasingly\u00a0common\u00a0as way of adding additional security for accessing accounts and completing\u00a0financial transactions.<\/p>\n\n<p>Requiring an additional step, so that a user has to provide extra proof of their identity massively reduces the risk of an account being hacked or funds accessed.<\/p>\n\n<p>While\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2017\/7\/10\/15946642\/two-factor-authentication-online-security-mess\">2fa has its critics<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0is certainly not a silver bullet, it&#8217;s far better to be using 2fa than not.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is SMS two-factor authentication?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>SMS two-factor authentication (SMS 2fa) is simply an extra layer of account security in addition to using a traditional password.<\/p>\n\n<p>Its purpose is to make sure that someone trying to access an account or complete a transaction\u00a0is who they say they are.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>The underlying concept \u00a0behind SMS Two-factor authentication is a combination of the following factors:<br \/>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Something you know\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; typically your account password<\/li>\n<li><strong>Something you have\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; Is the case of SMS 2fa, this is your phone<\/li>\n<li><strong>Something you are\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; This is for ultra-secure 2fa that uses your face, irises of fingerprint.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>\u00a0<br \/>(The third element doesn\u2019t apply when using SMS 2fa.)<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How does a 2fa SMS service\u00a0work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Using\u00a02fa\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/transactional-sms\">transactional SMS<\/a>\u00a0is a simple and straightforward\u00a0process.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>1<\/strong>. A user enters their username and password into the app or wedbsite.<br \/><strong>2<\/strong>. If these details are correct, a unique code is sent to their registered mobile number by SMS.<br \/><strong>3<\/strong>. The user then enters the code to gain access to an account or complete a transaction.<br \/><strong>4<\/strong>. The unique code expires after a set period, typically 2 minutes or less.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>If the user can&#8217;t provide authentication beyond the password alone, they won&#8217;t be allowed into the service they\u2019re trying to log into.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why do we need\u00a02fa SMS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>In recent years, \u00a0there has been a massive rise in cyber crime. Organised criminals have developed ever more sophisticated ways of illegally gaining access to customer accounts.<\/p>\n\n<p>While the level of crime has exploded, we\u2019ve also seen countless examples of companies that have suffered massive data breaches. In many cases vast quantities of customer data, including credit card details have been stolen.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"305\" height=\"165\" class=\"wp-image-391\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ICO20logo_5.png\" alt=\"ICO logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ICO20logo_5.png 305w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ICO20logo_5-300x162.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 305px) 100vw, 305px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p>Despite tougher data control measures brought in by the GDPR, The Information Commissioner\u2019s Office (ICO) has\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/ico-fines-analysis\">handed out some colossal fines<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to companies that have failed to look after their customer data adequately.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>2fa is a sensible response to these increased threats and protects consumers against cyber thieves and criminals.<\/p>\n\n<p>In addition to being a necessary\u00a0response to increased cyber threats, SMS 2fa doesn&#8217;t really\u00a0present any particular challenges in its implementation.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>2fa SMS is easy to use<\/strong><br \/>The user doesn&#8217;t\u00a0need to download any additional app or have any device, other than their phone. Almost\u00a0everyone has their phone easily accessible\u00a0and close to hand.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>It&#8217;s low cost<\/strong><br \/>Unlike security keys, which require hardware and delivery costs, SMS 2fa is very low cost. The only running costs are for the delivery of the code by text, which are normally less than 3 pence.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Easy\u00a0to set up<\/strong><br \/>Many organisations\u00a0already use an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/sms-gateway\"><strong>SMS gateway<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to communicate with customers and staff, so the addition of sending unique codes by texts isn&#8217;t a difficult task.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which companies provide an\u00a02fa SMS authentication service<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>There are literally dozens of 2fa SMS API providers.<br \/>Here is a small selection designed\u00a0to give you an idea of market\u00a0pricing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p>We suggest that you choose a company whose head office is in the same country as you so that if you have support queries, they will be handled at a suitable time.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>2fa SMS Provider<\/th>\n<th>Country Based<\/th>\n<th>Set Up Fee<\/th>\n<th>Cost per 2fa SMS Sent in Pence<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Twilio<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>US<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Nexmo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>US<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Telnyx<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>US<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Text Magic<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>UK<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>4.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>The SMS Works<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>UK<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>2.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SMS API<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Poland<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Text Local<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>UK<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>4.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Plivo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>US<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Text Anywhere<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>UK<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>5.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Bulk SMS<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>South Africa<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Mobivate<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>UK<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>3.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the security risks of 2fa SMS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-394\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Warning20sign_0.jpg\" alt=\"Warning symbol\" width=\"208\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Warning20sign_0.jpg 993w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Warning20sign_0-300x285.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Warning20sign_0-768x730.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p>Although using SMS for 2fa is far better than using nothing at all, there are\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.sucuri.net\/2020\/01\/why-2fa-sms-is-a-bad-idea.html\">some concerning security risks and weaknesses<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p>There are a number of ways in which criminals can intercept, phish and spoof SMS.<\/p>\n\n<p>It\u2019s perfectly possible for a code request text message to be sent to look as though it has come from a legitimate source. If the user then replies to the SMS with the correct code, then the fraudster will have access to the account.<\/p>\n\n<p>By pretending to be the victim of a hacking attempt, a fraudster can activate a new phone on the number. Before the victim notices, the hacker will already have breached the 2FA.<\/p>\n\n<p>Using this technique, thieves were able to convince Cloudflare\u2019s phone provider AT&amp;T to redirect phone and email,\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2012\/06\/04\/cloudflare-security-breach-the-result-of-smart-social-engineering-flaw-in-googles-account-recovery-system\/\">Account details were then accessed<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>using a 2fa process.<\/p>\n\n<p>\u00a0<br \/><strong>There are a number of other ways that two way authentication might be insecure.<\/strong><br \/>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p>Messages containing passwords could potentially be intercepted by a trojan hiding in the phone itself and then sent elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p>If a mobile phone \u00a0has lock-screen notifications enabled, \u00a0then a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.strongdm.com\/blog\/password-policy-best-practices\">password<\/a>\u00a0can easily be seen over the shoulder of the phone owner.<\/p>\n\n<p>The\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/SS7\">SS7 protocol<\/a><\/strong>, which is used to transmit texts, has a basic \u00a0flaw, allowing sms messages to be intercepted.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p>A sim card can easily be installed in another phone, which could potentially give someone access to sms messages containing 2fa codes.<\/p>\n\n<p>So it&#8217;s apparent that\u00a02fa SMS isn\u2019t perfect and as Chris Hoffman from How-to geek put it,<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><strong>SMS isn\u2019t the ideal solution. But, SMS-based two-factor authentication is much, much better than nothing.<br \/>Everyone should use SMS verification unless they\u2019re using something better.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Chris Hoffman \u2013 Editor \u2013 How-To Geek<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2><strong>SMS pumping fraud &#8211; A new threat to SMS 2FA<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A relatively new menace could well threaten how companies use SMS 2fa on webforms.<\/p>\n<p>SMS pumping fraud or <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/sms-pumping\/\">artificially inflated traffic<\/a> <\/strong>is a new type of fraud that targets webforms with weak security features.<\/p>\n<p>Fraudsters identify web forms that use SMS 2fa for the account sign up process. They then flood the form with large volumes of bogus account sign ups, generating huge numbers of automated 2fa texts.<\/p>\n<p>The fraudsters benefit from taking a revenue share from the mobile network for submitting traffic to them. The return on each text generated is tiny, so the volume of generated text needs to be huge for it to be worthwhile.<\/p>\n<p>The solution is to tighten up the account verification process to detect and halt any attacks. There are more details on this in the article linked to above.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the alternatives to 2fa\u00a0for SMS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>There are plenty of alternative methods to 2fa SMS.<br \/>Arguably they are more secure than SMS but have greater set up cost and are more hassle for the user.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>App-Generated Codes\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>There are dozens of 2fa apps avalable.<br \/>The most popular and trusted 2fa apps are.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>1. Authy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" class=\"wp-image-396\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Authy202fa.png\" alt=\"Authy 2fa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Authy202fa.png 225w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Authy202fa-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-authy wp-block-embed-authy\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/authy.com\/<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<p>Has the most features of all the 2fa apps but requires the account to be linked to a mobile number.<br \/>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>2. Duo Mobile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"185\" class=\"wp-image-397\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Duo20logo.png\" alt=\"Duo logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Duo20logo.png 320w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Duo20logo-300x173.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/duo.com\/product\/multi-factor-authentication-mfa\/duo-mobile-app<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<p>User-friendly, with no frills.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>3. Google Authenticator<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" class=\"wp-image-389\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Google20Authenticator202fa_0.png\" alt=\"Google Authenticator 2fa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Google20Authenticator202fa_0.png 225w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Google20Authenticator202fa_0-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/www.google.com\/landing\/2step\/<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<p>It\u2019s simple, easy to use and doesn\u2019t have any complicated settings.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>4. FreeOTP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"wp-image-388\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/FreeOTP20logo.png\" alt=\"Free OTP logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/FreeOTP20logo.png 300w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/FreeOTP20logo-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=org.fedorahosted.freeotp<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<p>More flexible with a few more settings. Also very lightweight compared to other apps at just 750 KB.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>5. Microsoft Authenticator<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"246\" height=\"246\" class=\"wp-image-392\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microsoft20Authenticator202fa.png\" alt=\"Microsoft Authenticator 2fa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microsoft20Authenticator202fa.png 246w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microsoft20Authenticator202fa-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 246px) 100vw, 246px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/account\/authenticator<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<p>More features than Google and Duo Mobile\u2019s app but still pretty minimalist.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>6. Yandex.Key<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"246\" height=\"246\" class=\"wp-image-395\" src=\"http:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Yandex20key202fa.png\" alt=\"Yandex key 2fa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Yandex20key202fa.png 246w, https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Yandex20key202fa-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 246px) 100vw, 246px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/yandex.com\/support\/passport\/authorization\/twofa-on.html<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<p>Very flexible and does not require registration. Loaded with features.\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Physical Authentication Keys<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p>A hardware security key or UTF key is an actual physical fob that acts as an additional layer of security for online accounts.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>To work, the user simply inserts the security key into the device (or connects wirelessly by bluetooth) and presses a button on the security key itself.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>The security key will then be presented with a challenge by the app, which it then signs and allows the user access to the account.<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>The most \u00a0popular security keys are..<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Yubico<\/strong><br \/>https:\/\/www.yubico.com\/<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Google Titan<\/strong><br \/>https:\/\/cloud.google.com\/titan-security-key<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Thetis BLE U2F Security Key<\/strong><br \/>https:\/\/thetis.io\/products\/thetis-ble-u2f-security-key<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Email-Based Systems<\/strong><br \/>\u00a0<br \/>Email 2fa is undoubtedly the least secure of the 2fa options. An email address is not tied to a specific device and has weak security protocols.<\/p>\n\n<p>Email is often subject to delays which give a poor user experience and could result in the code expiring before it\u2019s used.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2fa SMS \u2013 a pragmatic solution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>2fa SMS is by no means perfect but it is arguably the quickest and easiest of the 2fa options for adding additional account security.<\/p>\n\n<p>If fraudsters are very determined, then\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/is-sms-encrypted\">SMS does certainly have some security weaknesses<\/a><\/strong>. For the vast majority of cases these risks are very low indeed.<\/p>\n\n<p>For these reasons, 2fa SMS remains a very popular solution. Until something that is easier to implement and lower cost comes along, it will remain a sensible option for many.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A guide to 2fa SMS (two-factor authentication) In recent years, SMS two-factor authentication has become increasingly\u00a0common\u00a0as way of adding additional [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":393,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}