Chapter 5: Logging in to Accounts

Once you have set up your accounts, logging in becomes both safer and more convenient than the standard method of navigating to a Web site and logging in manually.

The primary way to log in to your accounts using ID Vault is by clicking on the ID Vault icon in either the System Tray or on your Desktop.

Clicking on either icon opens the main ID Vault menu, where your accounts are listed alphabetically by type. Select an account, enter your PIN and ID Vault will log you in automatically.

ID Vault opens Financial and Shopping Accounts using the ID Vault Secure View browser, which offers additional protection against browser-based attacks and malware. ID Vault opens Other Accounts using your default browser - Internet Explorer or Firefox.

Logging in from the ID Vault Menu

The ID Vault main menu lists your accounts in alphabetical order, grouped by account type. Click on the account you want to log in to, then enter your PIN, if asked.

Logging in by browsing

ID Vault recognizes when you visit a Web site where you have previously saved an account. When this happens, a small window appears that offers you the chance to log in using ID Vault.

For Shopping or Financial sites, the screen shown below will appear.

For Other accounts, the messages will appear in the lower right hand corner of your screen as shown below.

Logging in - Pharming Warning

Every time you log in to an account that is monitored by ID Vault, ID Vault verifies that the network location (IP address) of the log-in page is legitimate.

Over 8,000 Web sites are constantly monitored to ensure you are logging in to only legitimate Web sites. If ID Vault detects that you are being sent to a Web site whose IP address doesn't match the IP address recorded for the site, it is possible that you are experiencing a pharming attack and ID Vault puts up a warning.

Note: Web sites sometimes change their IP addresses for legitimate reasons. In such cases, a successful log-in will be possible after the ID Vault Trusted Network has been updated, which usually takes place within 24 hours.

Password at Risk - Phishing Warning

When you attempt to send stored account credentials to a site that is not monitored by ID Vault, you will be warned to make sure that it is a safe Web site. You should not send your secure credentials to any Web site unless you can verify the authenticity and ownership of the Web site.