Everybody, please, get and use one of the new electronic (physical) security token devices.
IB has these. They are free if your account is over $100K.
Interactive Brokers Issues Security Tokens to Prevent Fraud
GREENWICH, Conn., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- To prevent any risk of fraudulent withdrawal of funds, global direct-access broker-dealer Interactive Brokers (IB) is issuing free IB identity tokens to its customers with more than $100,000 in equity.
IB, which started offering the tokens to a selected number of clients several months ago, has extended its Secure Transaction Program (STP) to more users. Customers who do not qualify for the identity token are limited to a maximum withdrawal of $100,000 per day.
âCustomers with over $100,000 in equity will be offered a free IB identity token which generates single-use passwords that will be required for each and every cash withdrawal,â said IB managing director Steve Sanders. âWe are very mindful of security issues.â
The IB Identity Token is a device small enough to fit on a keychain. It generates a new, single-use password for each IB logon for secure transactions. Because the password is valid only once, it is of no use to snoops and hackers.
Even if someone were to steal an IB customer's name and account password, it would be impossible to withdraw funds from the customer's account without the added information provided by the IB Identity Token. A further safety feature allows customers to lock the token with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that only they know.
The STP feature is an added layer of security to IBâ existing safe application and registration system where information is accessed through a Secure Socket Layer (SSL)