What is SMS Verification ? Is it Still an Effective Tool?

What is SMS Verification?

With SMS verification, you can authenticate the identity of a user. This service is widely used by websites, banks, and social media networks. These sectors work with users’ sensitive data, and they know any kind of data breach would be quite harmful to their customers. That’s the reason why they double-check the identity of users before their login into the account to avoid data integrity failure

While accessing your account, you need to log in first by entering your username and password. Once you fill in the login credentials, companies send a verification code to your smartphone. You need to use that code to complete your login, and this process is called SMS verification. 

SMS verification process is popularly known by other names such as two-way SMS authentication, SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA), or SMS one-time password (OPT)

Working Functionality of SMS Verification

The working functionality of SMS verification is easy to understand. Below mentioned points will help you to understand the process: 

• While the sign-up process, you provide your phone number to a business

• Once you are done with the sign-up process, you need to login into your account by entering your username and password on the business website or app. After entering your details, you receive one time SMS authentication code on your number. 

• To complete the login process, you are required to type that code into the app or website.

Points to Consider When Choosing an SMS Verification Service?

Here are some key points to consider when choosing an SMS verification service:

1. Reliability and Uptime: Ensure the service provider has a strong track record of uptime and reliability. Downtime can disrupt your verification processes.
2. Global Coverage: Check if the service supports the regions where you need to verify users. International coverage is important if you have a global user base.
3. Message Delivery Speed: Verify that the service can deliver SMS messages quickly, as delays can impact user experience.
4. Message Types: Determine if the service supports both one-time password (OTP) and transactional SMS messages, as you may need both for different verification purposes.
5. Security: Ensure the service offers encryption and other security features to protect user data and prevent fraudulent activities.
6. Compliance: Verify that the service provider complies with local and international regulations, especially concerning data privacy and consent.
7. Scalability: Choose a service that can scale with your growing user base without significant disruptions.
8. API Integration: Check if the service offers easy integration with your existing systems and applications through APIs.
9. Pricing: Compare pricing plans and consider your budget. Be aware of any hidden fees or costs.
10. Support and Customer Service: Evaluate the level of customer support provided, including response times and availability, in case you encounter issues.
11. Customization: Determine if the service allows customization of SMS content and sender IDs to align with your branding.
12. Analytics and Reporting: Look for features that provide insights into the delivery and success rates of your SMS verifications.
13. Fallback Mechanisms: Ensure the service has fallback mechanisms in place in case SMS delivery fails, such as alternative verification methods.
14. User Experience: Consider the user experience during the verification process. Users should find it easy and straightforward.
15. Reviews and Reputation: Read reviews and seek recommendations from others who have used the service to gauge its reputation and reliability.
16. Data Retention: Understand the service’s policies on data retention and whether it aligns with your data protection requirements.
17. Support for Multiple Channels: If you plan to use multiple communication channels for verification, check if the service offers options beyond SMS, such as email or voice.

Advantages of SMS Authentication

There are many benefits of using SMS authentication. Some of them are given below:

Enhance Security 

With a one-time password, we can simply enhance the standard of security checkups for the online user authentication process. SMS verification is still considered more secure than a password alone

Easy to Use

People have become quite familiar with SMS and One-Time Otp Authentication codes. That is the reason why they find it more convenient while authenticating their identity on a website or app.

Inexpensive 

SMS authentication usually costs the customers nothing and does not require additional hardware and software. 

Disadvantages of SMS Authentication

Although the SMS authentication process is quite easy to use and convenient for users still, it has some drawbacks that are listed below: 

Vulnerabilities

If you are not aware enough, then sim swapping and hacking can breach your account’s security. 

Lost Devices

SMS verification is not well functional with lost devices. It can compromise an account.

Synced Devices

Since users receive code through SMS for user authentication on their multiple devices, spammers find it easier to intercept these SMS and collect sensitive data. 

Benefits of SMS Verification API for Businesses

Authentication Channel

With the help of SMS verification services, businesses can validate users’ authenticity worldwide. Companies can enable two-factor authentications for HTTP validation by adding user name and password. This web inclusion is quite helpful for businesses and helps them display a user authentication portal on their web portals. 

Prevent Online Fraud

With the help of SMS verification, phone number verification, etc., businesses enable 2-factor authentication for users and minimize fraud intervention with higher security. 

Upscale to Global Standards

With higher security standards, businesses can expand their global reach without experiencing security-related threats. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SMS Verification Secure?

SMS verification enhances security standards and is more secure than a password. However, there are some risks associated with it. For example, let’s say your phone is lost; hackers can access your account and use your number to access your personal information or bank details. Hence, it is recommended that users who have lost their phone should try to block their account and log out of their device to avoid any significant loss.

What Should I Do If I Do Not Receive The SMS Verification Code?

If you are not getting an SMS verification code in a given time frame, then there could be a few possibilities like your phone has a connectivity issue, confirm your phone number on the website or app, and lastly, make sure whether your network provider isn’t blocking messages for certain senders