Two Factor Laravel Package

Product Decisions This Supports

• Security Enhancement: Implement mandatory 2FA for high-risk user actions (e.g., admin dashboards, financial transactions, or sensitive data access) to align with compliance requirements (GDPR, SOC 2, etc.).
• User Trust & Retention: Offer optional 2FA for all users (e.g., premium accounts, frequent logins) to reduce fraud and improve perceived security, justifying a tiered subscription model.
• Build vs. Buy: Avoid reinventing the wheel—this package eliminates the need to integrate third-party APIs (e.g., Duo, Authy) or build custom TOTP logic, saving dev time and reducing technical debt.
• Roadmap Prioritization:
  • Phase 1: Roll out 2FA for admin users (critical path).
  • Phase 2: Enable optional 2FA for all users post-login (UX polish).
  • Phase 3: Integrate with Passkeys (via Laragear/WebAuthn) for passwordless future-proofing.
• Use Cases:
  • SaaS Platforms: Protect customer portals or developer accounts.
  • Marketplaces: Secure seller dashboards handling payments.
  • Internal Tools: Restrict access to internal admin panels or dev environments.
  • Regulated Industries: Healthcare (HIPAA), fintech (PCI DSS), or legal (client data).

When to Consider This Package

Adopt This Package If:

✅ You’re using Laravel 12+ and PHP 8.3+ (no polyfills needed). ✅ You need on-premises 2FA (no reliance on external APIs like Google Authenticator’s servers). ✅ Your team lacks expertise in TOTP/RFC 6238 implementation but needs a batteries-included solution. ✅ You want minimal middleware overhead—works alongside existing Laravel guards (e.g., web, sanctum). ✅ You prioritize recovery codes for users locked out of their authenticator apps (auto-generated, customizable). ✅ You need events-driven workflows (e.g., notify admins when a user enables/disables 2FA or depletes recovery codes). ✅ You’re building a scalable auth system and want to avoid vendor lock-in (MIT license, no proprietary dependencies).

Look Elsewhere If:

❌ You need hardware-based 2FA (YubiKey, etc.)—this package is TOTP-only. ❌ Your stack isn’t Laravel/PHP (e.g., Node.js, Ruby, or legacy PHP <8.3). ❌ You require SMS/email-based 2FA (this is TOTP-only; consider Laravel Fortify for multi-factor options). ❌ You need enterprise-grade support (e.g., SOC 2 audits, 24/7 SLAs)—this is community-maintained (though well-documented). ❌ Your users can’t use authenticator apps (e.g., internal tools for non-tech-savvy users; consider SMS 2FA instead). ❌ You’re using a non-standard auth flow (e.g., OAuth, SSO)—this package assumes Laravel’s default session-based auth.

How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)

For Executives (Business Leaders):

"This package lets us add bank-grade security to our app with zero external dependencies—no API costs, no third-party risks, and no dev overhead. For less than the cost of a single engineer-month, we can:

• Reduce fraud by enforcing 2FA for high-risk actions (e.g., payments, admin access).
• Future-proof our auth system with optional 2FA for all users, justifying premium subscriptions.
• Meet compliance (GDPR, PCI DSS) without custom builds or vendor lock-in. It’s like adding a deadbolt to your digital door—cheap, effective, and easy to install."

Ask: "Should we prioritize this for admins first, or roll it out to all users as a retention feature?"

For Engineering (Tech Leads/Devs):

"This is a drop-in 2FA solution for Laravel that handles all the heavy lifting:

• No API calls: Pure TOTP (RFC 6238) with QR code generation and recovery codes out of the box.
• Zero middleware conflicts: Works with existing guards (e.g., web, sanctum) or manual auth flows.
• Developer-friendly:
  • 1-line login integration (Auth2FA::attempt()).
  • Customizable views/messages (override defaults in 5 minutes).
  • Events for observability (e.g., TwoFactorEnabled, RecoveryCodesDepleted).
• Future-proof: Pair with Laragear/WebAuthn for Passkeys later.

Tradeoffs:

• No SMS/email 2FA (but we can add that later via Fortify).
• Requires PHP 8.3+ (but worth it for performance/security).

Recommendation: Use this for core 2FA needs—it’s faster than building from scratch and more flexible than third-party services. Let’s scope it for admin users first, then expand to premium tiers."

Ask: "Should we customize the recovery code flow (e.g., email backup codes) or use the defaults?"