Authenticate – The New Secure Standard in Mobile Sign-on

The password problem: a widespread security risk

We’ve all seen it: the dreaded security alert warning that your account has been compromised and prompting you to change your password immediately. But what if that password (and the email address tied to it) is the same one you use across dozens, or even hundreds, of services?

Unfortunately, this is the reality for most internet users. People commonly reuse email addresses and passwords across a vast swathe of online platforms, putting their account security at risk.

With companies increasingly requiring users to create accounts for access since the early 2000s, the number of digital accounts per person has exploded. Studies looking at the trend of account creation estimate that internet users manage, on average, between 100 and 200 online accounts, a number that continues to grow every year. And without password managers, it’s no surprise that password reuse is rampant, particularly for less-used accounts.

The limits of SMS OTP: an ageing line of defence

Account credential reuse creates a dangerous vulnerability: once a single set of credentials is leaked online in a data breach, hackers have everything they need to begin accessing other services. Standing in their way is one last layer of protection — the SMS one-time password (OTP).

SMS OTPs were once considered secure. Cybercriminals have since developed sophisticated techniques to phish these codes, often posing as trusted parties over the phone, email, or on websites. Marketing and advertising tools are now being repurposed to target users with breached credentials and attempt to extract their OTP codes. Phishing attacks have seen an increase of 50% over the past four years compared to 2021, according to the 2025 Phishing Trends Report.

The rise of SIM swap attacks

A further attack vector has become increasingly prevalent and, according to CIFAS, increased in the UK by over 1,000% in 2024 alone. SIM swap attacks involve bad actors impersonating the target user to convince mobile operators to issue a new SIM card, either as an eSIM or in physical format. By obtaining a SIM card with the user’s phone number, attackers are given free rein over user accounts. These attempts are seeing significant increases as users are increasingly likely to hold funds on various online services.

A new standard: Mobile Sign-On (MSO)

In 2025, users are being offered vulnerable security features while cyber criminals are becoming well-versed in exploiting all available loopholes. So, where do we go from here?

Enter Mobile Sign-On (MSO), the newest standard of authentication developed in collaboration with global mobile operators, aiming to replace SMS OTP with a seamless, more secure and straightforward alternative that guards against current vulnerabilities exploited by cyber criminals.

Unlike SMS OTP, MSO validates a mobile user’s phone number directly with the mobile network, without any intervention, by relying on the cryptographic assurance of the SIM card. When a user logs in, the system confirms that they are in possession of the correct SIM card tied to the phone number on record. There’s no copying or pasting codes, no phishing risk, and no spoofing.

MSO can also be paired with SIM swap detection. This feature flags recent changes to a SIM card, enabling platforms to step up security when something suspicious occurs. The result is faster logins, less friction, and a far more secure foundation than outdated 2FA methods.

Meet Authenticate: smart, secure, and seamless

Authenticate is our Mobile Sign-On service designed to replace 2FA with a smarter and more secure authentication method. With MSO as its core and optional SIM swap protection, Authenticate seamlessly integrates into your existing security stack, enhancing protection while simplifying user experience.

Tackling fake accounts and automated abuse

Security today isn’t just about protecting user credentials — it’s also about ensuring the legitimacy of the users themselves. Fake accounts and bot farms have become a serious problem, especially for social media platforms, marketplaces, and any service that facilitates public communication or user-generated content. These fake profiles push misinformation, manipulate public sentiment, and run scams at scale. And yet, despite attempts to solve these issues, most platforms still struggle to identify and stop them efficiently.

That’s why Authenticate includes advanced tools to detect automated behaviour and bot-driven activity. When our SDK is integrated with your sign-up or login process, our solution helps ensure that users are real and behaving legitimately right from the start.

Comprehensive mobile intelligence for trust

With TMT ID, you’re not just securing user accounts from the latest threats — you’re also protecting your platform’s integrity.

Our suite of mobile intelligence tools goes beyond just authentication. At TMT ID, we offer:

• Authenticate Mobile Sign-On (MSO): seamless, secure, passwordless login.
• SIM swap detection: enhanced protection from account takeovers.
• Bot and automation detection: fight back against fake accounts.
• Phone number intelligence: assess the validity of phone numbers.
• KYC match and age verification: confirm identity with real-time mobile network data.

Whether you’re building a new app, protecting high-value user accounts, or cleaning up bot-ridden user bases, TMT ID gives you the tools to build a trusted digital experience across the whole lifecycle of a user account.