Sept. 13, 2024
Have you ever wondered how secure your accounts are? With cyberattacks on the rise, protecting our digital identities is more important than ever. In this blog, we'll tell you what sms verification is, why account security matters, how sms verification works, how it helps keep your accounts safe from unauthorized access, where you can use it, and the pros and cons of this widely-used security measure. With our guidance and real-life examples, you'll soon be able to spot how sms verification can be useful to you and in your own digital security, and by extension, in keeping you safe online!
SMS codes are one way companies try to make their websites and apps more secure. It's kind of like a one-time password you get to use when you log in. The idea is that it gives you an extra way to prove you're really you. When you try to log in, after you type your regular password, you get a special code sent to your phone. You type that code in to finish logging in, and that's what makes it more secure and less likely to be hacked or used by someone who isn't you.
It's secure because it kind of acts like two parts: your password, and the SMS code. By requiring both, SMS codes give you a second layer of protection. If someone gets your password, they still can't log in because they don't have the code. And if someone gets your code, they still can't log in because they don't have your password. This means that it needs both pieces of information to work, which is much more secure than just needing one thing (like a password).
Two-factor authentication (2FA) uses SMS verification, also referred to as one-time passwords (OTPs) in-the-know circles. And you've seen it everywhere: banking, healthcare, social media, etc. It's widely used because it's a great middle-of-the-road balance of effective security and user convenience. People are accustomed to receiving a code via text, and it's simple and easy to understand. While there are high-tech avenues to secure your account, SMS remains a great (and easy) way for most people to protect themselves.
The way 2FA behaves in most online services is very straightforward. In a nutshell, after you input your username and password, you'll be asked for your mobile number, if you haven't already. Then, a code is generated and sent to your phone via SMS. Once you have the code, you submit it to the site/app, and you're logged in. This multi-step process means that, to log in, you need to know something (the password) and have something (the phone), which is a lot safer.
SMS verification is just another security feature to protect your accounts from hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts—it's not unbreakable, but it's really good at making it really hard for a hacker who only has your username and password. As companies continue to fight advanced cyber threats, multi-factor authentication (like SMS verification) will become a more common—and more important—security feature for consumers. That's why consumers should understand what it is and how secure it is, so they know someone gaining access to their accounts isn't just about knowing their password; it's also about having the device to provide authentication.
What is 'SMS-based authentication'? In plain English, it's using SMS verification codes to prove that you are really you. Although the ways we prove our identities have changed with technology, good old SMS is still a dependable way to show that you are you. And it works.
SMS-based authentication is really easy for folks to use when they want to add levels to their security.
But when we talk about SMS 'verification', it's not special. It's just another way people can prove that they are who they say they are. There are other options available like mobile authenticator apps or biometrics, but SMS is what's been securing people all this time. And it's the simple, dependable security that a lot of businesses are leveraging to help protect their users' accounts. In 2022, over 24 billion sets of usernames and passwords were sold on the dark web. IBM reported a 71% increase in cyberattacks using stolen credentials from 2022 to 2023.
When it comes to protecting online accounts and sensitive information, SMS verification codes are now a necessity. These verification codes fall into 2 main categories: temporary codes and permanent codes. Each category has its own use cases and is best suited to different situations in the digital world.
Temporary codes are usually used for quick verifications. They are often given during account creation, or to authenticate quick transactions. This type of SMS verification code is for a short period of time and can expire shortly after it's sent. You might receive one when you create a new account so you can receive a one-time password (OTP) to prove you are who you say you are. It's quick and adds an extra layer of security, so even if someone gets ahold of your password, they can't sign in without the temporary verification code.
Permanent codes serve another purpose. They are usually sent for other uses. These codes are often used in situations where you need ongoing access, like recovery. If you forget your password and need to reset it, a permanent SMS verification code will be sent to your registered phone number to help you regain access to your account again. Maintaining your up-to-date phone number with the service provider is important to ensuring you have an easy way to get back into your account if you ever need to.
Using a temporary phone number to get the SMS verification code can help you increase privacy and security. For example, some people use them when they sign up for new things, or when they don't want to use their personal phone number so that whoever they give it to can't sell it to marketers or other third parties.
Temporary phone numbers are an extra tool in your toolkit for when you're in high-risk environments, or using a particular online platform that you're not sure how they handle data. But it's not just privacy--this can also help protect against identity theft and phishing scams! Scams these days are seriously next level, so why not take advantage of extra precautions?
SMS verification codes are a great way to prove that you are you, but there are also other ways to verify your identity that might be even better. You can receive a verification call in exactly the same way you receive an SMS, or you can receive an email instead. A phone call is just a robot calling you and reciting the same codes that text you in the first place. It's useful for people who can't easily access their phone or for people who have trouble receiving text messages. Email is also a bit slower than SMS, but it's another secure way for you to prove that you are who you say you are. Every verification method has its own strengths and weaknesses, so that you can choose the one that's right for you.
It is always better to have more than one way to verify a person's identity, so that your security isn't all resting on one slightly flimsy tech. That way, if something happens to the first channel (like, say, if someone intercepts your text messages) other methods are there to protect your account. So whether you choose SMS, a phone call, or email notice, always be on the lookout for new ways to keep your verification super secure.
These days, it's important to verify that someone really is who they say they are when you're making online transactions and logins. That's where SMS verification comes in. Also called two-factor authentication (TFA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA), it adds an extra layer of security to your usual username and password. Here are a ton of real-world situations where SMS verification is used so you can see just how important it is.
Many banks use SMS to check their customers are who they say they are, and enhance the security of their transactions. When you want to make a transaction or access secure information, they'll send you a one-time code to your mobile, and that's how they know it's you who's making the transaction or accessing the page.
Triodos Bank is one such bank that uses SMS to check user identity, and send more than 250,000 messages a month for security checks. SMS verification doesn't just help them secure their transactions, it helps to build our trust with them too. It lets us know that there are extra precautions in place to protect us in the event of third-party fraud. Which is exactly the type of thing I want in place where my money is concerned.
SMS code verification isn't just for banks--it's used in almost every industry. Take EasyPark, a parking application that included SMS verification in their flow. The result? A 7% increase in conversions. Just goes to show that, when done right, users of parking applications (EasyPark) should have no problem adopting verification and will benefit.
It's not just about keeping information safe--SMS code verification can also be used to make the user experience better. A better user experience means happier customers, which means more loyal customers. A win-win for high user adoption and high frequency of use industries. You can have both security and ease.
Large platforms like to use SMS verification on their user accounts. It's a commonly used mechanism for verifying identity, and in this case was used specifically to verify new user accounts during sign-up. Amazon Cognito, an Amazon cloud service that gives you user identity and data sync, simply uses SMS to verify user accounts at sign-up. When users create a new account with them, they receive a code by SMS, which they have to enter to complete the sign-up process. This way, they can be confident they aren't allowing bots to create fake accounts.
They also leverage something users are familiar with (most people are familiar with receiving and entering SMS codes). In a landscape of many forms of verification, SMS remains a phenomenally simple and effective way to verify your identity and ensure only you can access your account. The service is built-in and so seems to be working well for them, providing security while still giving their users a great experience.
The examples above are just a few instances of the many ways in which SMS verification can help companies keep their online services secure. Whether it's banks or parking services, everyone recognizes that SMS verification is an easy way to block bad actors and reduce fraud, all while improving the customer experience. As identity theft and account fraud continue to rise, companies are realizing that they need strong security measures.
Incorporating SMS 2FA into your digital services is good for security and good for the end user. For businesses that want to protect their customers' data and keep their applications safe, SMS verification isn't just a smart choice -- it's quickly becoming a matter of course for security best practices and industry standards.
In the fast-paced world of digital security, as things change, in many cases you need to verify your identity using SMS. You enter your username and password, then you receive a one-time code on your mobile to demonstrate that you are, in fact, you. Here are some of the pros and cons of text message verification.
SMS verification doesn't just boost security-- it's also a fairly user-friendly experience. By making users jump through a few extra hoops to log in, you essentially ensure that no unauthorized parties can access your most crucial accounts. When users add a code received via text to their login, it ensures that they are who they say they are-- not just someone who knows the username/password for an account. This 2-factor process is key because even if a hacker learned the password to an account, they would still need the user's phone to actually log in to the account.
Plus, SMS verification is simple for end users. You're leveraging something many people already know and understand-- text messages. Because most people have their phone on their person almost all the time, they can easily receive and input verification codes. This familiarity means there's little to no learning curve for these new login flows, meaning users are more likely to actually use your service if there is a verification step.
And SMS verification can be a cost-effective choice for your business. Unlike other 2-factor solutions like biometrics or a dedicated 2-factor app, an SMS solution doesn't require expensive hardware and infrastructure. That's why many companies enact this solution to protect their users in high-stakes industries like finance or social media without breaking the bank in over 230 countries.
SMS verification also helps reduce fraud. When you verify users with their mobile phone, you stop fraud before it happens on your platform. Bad actors are always phishing and doing other harmful activities to try to steal people's login info that they can then use to log in and do damage. But, if users have to verify their phone to log in, bad actors can't get in. Because they don't have the user's phone to complete verification.
Giving a user a unique code every time they log in makes it tough for bots to register, and bot registration is where most fraud happens. This extra bit of security not only protects individual accounts, but makes any platform, app, or website your users are logging into more trustworthy.
However, there are disadvantages to SMS verification. One major disadvantage is that you're susceptible to SIM swap attacks. This is when a hacker tricks a mobile service provider into transferring a user's phone number to a new SIM card held by the hacker, letting them capture any SMS verification codes sent to the victim's mobile device, and gain unauthorized entry to secure accounts.
Also, users may be susceptible to phishing. Even though SMS verification is meant to improve security, if a user falls for a phishing attack and shares their code, they may enable access to their accounts. Because SMS messages aren't end-to-end encrypted, they can potentially be read by bad actors, making the method less secure than alternatives.
They're also inconvenient because you may not have your mobile device handy all the time. If you misplace your phone or if you're in an area with poor reception, getting the verification code can be a hassle, which is frustrating and may lock you out of your accounts. This can make for a frustrating user experience and restrict access to offerings that rely heavily on SMS verification.
In digital security, SMS verification is not the best, but it's not nothing. Most experts agree that multi-factor authentication—of which SMS is only one component, along with factors like app-based tokens or biometric verification—is a stronger protection against the threats of today.
Use multi-factor authentication instead of SMS. When you have to use SMS, use it alongside other (stronger) methods. This way you get the best of both worlds—security and convenience. You can still enjoy the ease and simplicity of SMS verification, and companies can still offer it to you.
As threats evolve and grow ever more sophisticated, both users and companies need to remain vigilant. They need to know SMS verification through and through to benefit from it and protect themselves against it.
These days, in the digital era, using SMS verification codes to secure user accounts is a no-brainer. Implementing best practices for SMS verification not only makes your accounts more secure, it also makes for a much better user experience. Here are a few ways you can effectively use SMS verification codes in your authentication system.
In the case of sending SMS verifications, clarity is your friend. You want your users to receive something legible. You want to communicate a simple message about why the code was sent, what to do with the code, and how long it will work—the code was sent for verification and will only work for a little while. And, when you're clear, you won't annoy your users—in other words, a good user experience.
A good verification message might look like 'Your verification code is 123456. Use this code to complete your sign up. This code will expire in 10m.'
Being clear can minimize irritation for users and can help build confidence in your verification process.
When it comes to selecting an SMS verification service, security should be one of the very first things you consider. You'll want to see that your provider offers a range of security features. For example, do they encrypt data in transit? This is a key safeguard to keep your data safe from the time it leaves the user to the time it arrives back with the provider. You'll also want to check that your provider is compliant with industry standards such as GDPR or HIPAA -- non-compliance could lead to costly legal problems. Whether your app has 100 users or 100,000, you'll still need a provider that can offer reliable message delivery and has a large enough infrastructure to manage any unexpected spikes in registrations. Compare different providers based on user feedback, performance metrics, and the ability to handle international SMS (if required). SMS shouldn't be the weak link in your security chain!
You should always be updating and checking that your users' phone numbers are still valid, to avoid delivery problems. The best way to do this is by requesting that users verify their phone number when they sign up, or maybe just in more casual conversation during their account lifecycle. You can even throw in a verification step (like sending them a confirmation code when they first input the phone number) to smooth out the process!
And when you solicit the phone number, always check international formatting so they can correct it for you. If you're paying attention when you do this, you're doing them a favor. If you're sloppy about it, not only will your messages be less effective, but you've opened a dangerous security hole (because you have out-of-date phone numbers, remember?)
Adding an extra layer of security with multi-factor authentication (MFA) means adding SMS verification to other methods—for example, you might use SMS verification codes alongside email confirmations or app-based codes, to create another volley in the security net. A user might receive an email with a verification link, then be prompted to enter an SMS code as well. The two-layer security makes it much more difficult for an unauthorized user to access an account, lowering the risk of password compromise or social engineering.
You'll want to keep an eye on usage and have a way to automatically check in—just in case—on account activity so you can step up security. With logs and user behavior, you'll be able to detect things like strange activities such as logins that seem off, too many failed verification attempts, and logins from around the world. And you can check out or put in more verification steps automatically. Knowing these, also use them to inform your overall security strategy, so you can adapt to new security threats quickly and effectively.
Do all that, and you'll have a complete SMS verification system that's secure and user-friendly, exactly the type of system you want to build to have a trusted relationship with your users. Being transparent with your users, using reliable services, and having multi-factor authentication isn't just best practices, it's the only way to do safety online successfully.
SMS verification codes are one of the most important things to happen to the internet. It's an added layer of security, commonly known as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) where, after you enter your password, you have to enter a one-time code received by SMS in order to access your account. This makes it difficult for hackers to access your account if they don't have your phone. And with security threats on the rise, companies in every industry, from banking to healthcare to social media websites, are using SMS verification to protect sensitive data and earn users' trust. In this post, we'll cover what SMS verification codes are, how they work, and how secure they really are. We'll explore both the pros and cons, like potential security risks associated with SIM swapping. We'll also cover things like the difference between temporary and permanent codes, using temporary phone numbers, and other ways of verifying. Finally, we'll talk about how to do SMS verification right. Because, while SMS isn't failproof, it is still a necessary part of any good security strategy in today's digital world.
SMS verification codes are single-use passwords sent by text that help secure your online logins or transactions. They give you an extra layer of security in addition to your regular password, for even better protection of your accounts.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security that uses two things: something you know (like a password), and something you have (like your phone). You type in your password, and then after you enter your credentials, you'll receive a text with a code that you need to enter. That way, even if someone else has your credentials, they can't log in.
SMS codes come in 2 flavors: temporary and permanent. Temporary codes are short-lived and good for fast verifications (like during signup). Permanent codes are for things like account recovery, granting ongoing access to something when you need it.
Yes, having a temporary phone number is one way to stay secure because you're not submitting personal information, so it's a good way to keep spam or unwanted emails to a minimum. Especially handy if you don't trust the company's data practices.
SMS verification is great -- it's secure, user-friendly, and cheap. But it has its downsides -- certain types of vulnerabilities like SIM swapping and phishing, and if you lose your phone or don't have your phone with you, you won't have access to any codes.
To maximize security and user experience, companies should send clear SMS messages, use a reliable SMS verification API, keep user phone numbers up to date, use SMS in conjunction with multi-factor authentication, and monitor account activity for unusual or suspicious behavior.
SMS verification codes are an extra layer of security that requires both knowledge (the password) and possession (the phone), meaning a cybercriminal would need your password and your phone to access your accounts. This 2-factor technique significantly reduces the chance that you will be hacked or someone will gain unauthorized access to your accounts.
Banks are a major use case for SMS verification, using it to verify transactions and protect their users. By sending verification codes in SMS, they keep unauthorized people from accessing sensitive financial transactions, and users trust them because they have strong security.
Alternatives to SMS verification include voice call verification, where a code is sent to you in a phone call, and email verification. Each has its strengths, so you can give users the choice of whichever method is most convenient for them.
sms verification code online displayed on a smartphone screen
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