Why we use One Time Passcodes (OTPs)

Why?

Your account security is important to us. The increased number of recent data breaches and password leaks online pose a significant risk to the security of all user accounts, so we are taking proactive action. 

If you pay attention to cybersecurity news, new data breaches are being discussed constantly. These breaches expose sensitive information, including passwords, making it crucial to take proactive steps to protect your accounts. Check out the More Resources section below for more information.

On top of breaches, many folks will use the same password across multiple services or slight variations on a theme for a password which is a practice that does not offer much protection. People with malicious intent may be able to "brute force" their way into accounts by trying out common passwords or even skimming social media for your personal information to use while "guessing" your password. 

We switched to a One Time Passcode/Password system. Instead of having a set password, each time you go to sign in, you'll receive a new, unique, temporary passcode to use to access your account sent directly to the email address on the account. This is a system-wide change and cannot be turned off. 

More Resources

Check out these articles for a bit more information about these large data breaches:

• Mashable: This is likely the biggest password leak ever: nearly 10 billion credentials exposed

• passwd: The largest password leaks of all time

• Cybernews: RockYou2021 All-Time Largest Password Compilation Leaked

You can also use services like Have I Been Pwned to check if your email has been involved in any data breaches, though these days, unfortunately, many people likely have and don't know it.