What is 3D Secure technology that we see while online shopping, and what is its purpose?
3D Secure technology is used in most of the product selling sites and electronic stores for reasons that we will mention in the context of this article, where when you buy something from any online shopping site, the screen you see and the code sent to your mobile phone by SMS is 3D Secure system. This system ensures the security of your online spending with an understanding similar to two-factor authentication. Let's take a closer look at what 3D Secure technology is and how it works.
Two-factor authentication is used in almost all social media platforms today. Thanks to this system, even if someone else knows your email address and password, they will not be able to log into your account. 3D Secure provides exactly such a service, but the only difference is that it provides such security in case of a questionable or high amount of expenses during online purchases.
Since the history of e-commerce fraud is as old as e-commerce, banks and credit card companies have used 3D Secure and similar security rules for a long time. Thanks to this infrastructure, even a malicious person who owns all your credit or debit card information cannot easily spend online. Let's find out what 3D Secure is, how it works, and see the details you need to know about this security system.
What is 3D Secure Technology?
As its name suggests it is a 3D protection; It is a system that provides an extra layer of security for the transactions you make with a credit or debit card while shopping online. 3D Secure, an XML-based platform, was developed by a company called CA Technologies today.
The 3D Secure system developed by CA Technologies was first used by Visa as Verified by Visa. It was later used as MasterCard SecureCode by Mastercard and J/Secure by JC International. Although the names are different, the primary name for the system used by all these companies and banks is 3D Secure.
What does 3D Secure do?
You can think of 3D Secure as a two-factor authentication found on social media platforms. Because 3D Secure; is an identity verification system that is used to prove that you have spent the expenses you paid using a credit or debit card on online shopping sites of your own volition.
Let's think like this; You lost your credit card or provided your credit card information to an incompetent site in case this information was stolen. The person who seized your credit card information immediately went to turn that information into money and wanted to buy a new iPhone. Of course, he can't because 3D Secure has detected abnormal movement in your bank account and it will require authentication for such a big cost.
How does 3D Secure work?
3D Secure basically authenticates you with a code sent via SMS to your mobile phone number registered in your bank account or credit card account. Thanks to this code, which mostly consists of 6 numbers, you prove that the cardholder made the purchase himself and is aware of these expenses.
Some companies that use 3D Secure always give their users a PIN that they can use before this process. However, in the widely used system, a code that is valid only once and for a certain period of time is sent to the user's mobile phone. The one-time confirmation code increases the security of a system that protects against suspicious shopping.
How to use 3D Secure?
The use of 3D Secure is at the cardholder's discretion to activate it or not. You can activate the 3D Secure system through online banking, mobile banking, or by calling your bank. If you see an expression like "Use 3D Secure" on the checkout screen while shopping, you must confirm and pay.
To note; That 3D Secure doesn't always work, especially on platforms where your card information is logged in and you're signed in from a familiar phone and network information. 3D Secure is used in questionable situations or when the amount of spending is higher than usual. for example; It may be considered suspicious if you frequently spend online.
Advantages of using 3D Secure:
You cannot be deceived. This is the biggest advantage of 3D Secure. Because we know that nothing is foolproof in the digital world. For this reason, it is always dangerous to provide credit or debit card information to the payment platform on untrusted sites, no matter how reliable they are. Thanks to the 3D Secure system, you will be aware of at least such a situation and notify you when a suspicious movement of banking transactions is detected on your account.
In addition to having your digital data stolen, 3D Secure is a great security measure for online shopping, when you get your credit card stolen or lost in real life. Real POS or ATM requires you to enter a password to use the cards, but in online shopping, it does not require a password. For this reason, thieves often use stolen cards by spending online.
3D Secure has other benefits as well for supplementary cards and virtual cards used in conjunction with the main cards. In other words, one of the advantages of the 3D security system is to prevent expensive expenses from the card that you give to your child or spouse.
Does 3D Secure have drawbacks?
No drawbacks can be said for users of credit, debit, and bank cards, but online shopping sites and other online sellers have some objections to 3D Secure and similar systems. They say that these methods slow down payments and may prevent the user from shopping.
But they may be right. Because most of the online shopping takes place in the evening, that is, when we are bored and unhappy. Or the appearance of an advertisement for a product that is not necessary. While purchases are made with one-touch 3D Secure gives us an opportunity to undo, as entering a 6-digit password for too long may change our decision and undo the purchase.
Is 3D Secure hackable?
3D Secure cannot be hacked. Because there is a simple principle of operation; The bank sends a code to the mobile phone number registered in the credit card. However, the system of the bank or credit card provider can be hacked. Even worse, your information can be intercepted and altered.
For example; When much of your personal data, including your bank and credit card information, are stolen, thieves can enter the system and change your mobile phone number registered with the 3D Secure system. Likewise, this information can be changed as a result of a cyberattack on the banking system. Such action can also be taken if your physical card is stolen.
Given all of these possibilities, the first precaution you can take is not to share payment information with any payment platform that appears before you. Another effective measure is to use a virtual card when registering on some sites that require it. And when your physical card is stolen, contact your bank and cancel the card as soon as possible.
Ensure that the site uses 3D Secure for online purchases. If it is, then the system is safe, but the environment is not very safe. We also advise that online purchases be made away from your main bank account through cards that support shopping operations that are charged with specific amounts of money and used when purchasing products from the Internet such as Master Card or Visa Card and many others.