Account Security: Time Waster or Life Saver?

Does anybody except total geeks really pay attention to what payment platforms say about how secure they are and to all the protection tools they have? If you are not a pro user or someone into information security and/or maybe has a little bit of paranoia going on, chances are you don’t really remember what the Security page on our website says, and what exactly happens in the Security settings area of your Volet.com account. But is this really the best way to go?

Here’s what we think: if you tend to keep money that you can’t afford to lose in your account, definitely enable advanced tools like two-factor authentication and others (more on that later).

Otherwise, if you use your account to quickly move money in and out without storing a lot in it, you’ll probably be fine with basic security tools like Intelligent identification.

Either way, remember to follow basic security precautions — more on that later as well.

Volet.com + Protectimus

From our early days around 9 years ago (jeez, time does fly) we partnered with Protectimus, an established provider of data security solutions and 2FA (two-factor authentication) products. Why not ready-made tools from major corporations like Google or whatever, you may ask?

Partnering with a smaller but more dedicated security firm from the get-go helped us embed reliable security practices and customized protection solutions into all layers of Volet.com as it was growing. 2FA by Protectimus is perfectly embedded into the Volet.com environment, works seamlessly, and does not require costly external support.

And the best part? You can actually use 2FA tokens by Protectimus from Volet.com in your Google Authenticator app. They’re perfectly compatible.

What’s the deal with this 2FA, anyway?

You probably saw this 2FA acronym here and there (hey, even in this post). But what does it really mean?

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA for short, means that to get access to the system you need a second factor in addition to your password. It’s like having a lock with two keys where you need both to open it. Your regular password is key one, and the short-lived one-time password that you get from your 2FA device or app is key two.

Someone may guess or steal your regular password (read on for tips on how to avoid it). But they will never be able to guess the one-time password you get from your 2FA source for each new action. So, it’s really secure, as long as nobody has access to your smartphone.

Strictly speaking, getting one-time passwords via SMS is also 2FA, SMS is a second factor as well. You can enable SMS authorization in Security settings in Volet.com. However, you will be charged a small amount for every message while other types of 2FA are 100% free. Also, most importantly, people say millions have been stolen in the crypto space via SMS swaps. Avoid this by using a 2FA app that can’t be cloned like your SIM card.

So how does 2FA work?

When you enable 2FA in Security settings, you can either configure a token (your unique security signature) for password-generating apps like Google Authenticator or Protectimus SMART, or get these one-time passwords (OTPs) to your preferred messenger from the Protectimus bot. 

Both apps are available for iOS and Android. If you don’t already use Google Authenticator or Protectimus SMART and don’t feel like bringing yet another app into your life (we know, so many apps), just configure the bot and get these passwords to Facebook Messenger, Telegram, or Viber. We’re sure you have at least one of those on your phone already.

Getting OTPs to messengers may be slightly less secure if you have the same messengers on multiple devices where other people may see them, accidentally or not. If you need that extra layer of security, get one-time passwords from the dedicated Protectimus SMART or Google Authenticator app that only you can open. Restrict access to the app with Face ID or other tools for extra safety.

With 2FA enabled, you will need a one-time password to confirm every login and payment.

Is 2FA right for me?

If you keep serious amounts of money in your Volet.com account and/or are serious about security, enabling and using 2FA is an absolute must. To make things even safer, use the dedicated OTP app instead of getting the one-time passwords to messengers.

Entering an OTP every time you want to log in or send money may seem a little too much for beginner users. Give it a try and see how it feels.

Beginner users that do not keep a lot of money in Volet.com and usually just move money in and out may do just fine with Intelligent identification working in the background. Remember to follow basic precautions as well.

What other security tools does the company use to protect you?

Time to take a closer look at all the tools that the Security settings area in Volet.com has. Most tools are configurable, just click the button next to it to set it up.

Intelligent identification

Background monitoring that emails you a login code if the system detects that your IP address, location, device etc have changed. Relatively safe and easy to use.

IP Address Binding

Restricts account access to a specific IP address or a range of IP addresses. Enable only if your IP address does not change (check with your provider). Secure, but mostly for advanced users.

Payment Password

Confirm payments with a static password. Less secure than 2FA, but easier to use.

Code Card

Confirm payments with a code from a list of codes. Relatively secure, but you will need to make sure you don’t lose the code card and keep it in a safe place.

SMS Authorization

Get codes via SMS to log in and send money. Small fee charged for every message, so you will need to have money in the account. Less secure than regular 2FA as SIM cards can be cloned and messages can be intercepted.

For beginner users that do not tend to have serious money in the account, following basic security precautions and enabling Intelligent identification will be simple and secure enough.

If you are a pro user with money in the account, we strongly recommend 2FA via Protectimus SMART or Google Authenticator app. SMS passwords are slightly easier to use, but SMS are not free, and there is a risk of SIM card cloning.

What basic precautions should I follow?

• Make sure your Volet.com password is strong and don’t re-use passwords from other sites. Strong passwords consist of big and small letters, numbers, punctuation, special characters, which makes them virtually impossible to guess. Re-using passwords from other sites is dangerous because other sites may be hacked and criminals may try to use the passwords they obtained to access your finances.

• Memorize your password or, if you have to, write it down and keep it in a safe place where nobody else can find it. For maximum security, do not save your password in your browser or a password manager and type it in every time.

• Do not open suspicious links and emails on your desktop, laptop and mobile phone. Regularly check all your devices for viruses and malware with reputable antivirus products. Update your antivirus products regularly.

• Always make sure you log in only on Volet.com. Do not google ‘Volet.com login’ to log in. Fraudulent websites you find via Google may be Volet.com clones built to steal your passwords.

• Never underestimate the security of your email. If a hacker gets access to your email account, it becomes a lot easier for them to do serious damage. Protect your email with a strong password and 2FA and follow the security tips of your email provider.

Conclusion

Volet.com has a range of account protection tools that are quite easy to set up and use. Beginner users may find basic security precautions and Intelligent identification in the background sufficient for most situations.

If you are a pro user and/or have significant amounts of money in the account, 2FA (two-factor authentication) via Google Authenticator or Protectimus SMART is a must. Getting OTPs (one-time passwords) to a messenger of your choice can be easier to use, but may have security ticks that 2FA apps do not have.

If you would like to talk about keeping your account safe and get security tips for your specific situation, get in touch!