I’ve been looking at WordPress shopping cart plugins and other ways to create an online shopping cart and I came across a link to a feature I didn’t even know PayPal has. Paypal can create random temporary security keys (an additional password for your account that is only good for a short time) to help ensure that only you can log into your account (since you’re the only one who can access this security key).
You can either have an electronic device which will generate the password code or you can have PayPal text message the password to you. Since these password codes are just generated as you need them, they provide an additional level of security.
PayPal Security Key – What is it?
If you opt for the text messaging, then you’re done. If you’re like me and don’t carry a cell-phone, then you’d want to look at the key fob or the security card.
Article about the security key
I wondered what the device looked like, this article has a picture of the credit-card sized security key device.
This article shows the original fob device and has some interesting discussion. Apparently the key fob device has a built in clock and generates passwords which are only good for 30 seconds or so wheras the credit-card shaped device generates passwords that are good until you use them — a slight difference in security level since someone could see the next password on your card device and then use it later providing that you hadn’t used it first.