As an advisor with an Accountancy portal, you have all your clients under one login.
A well-secured account is therefore crucial. In Informer, you can secure your account in several ways.
Security options
As an accountant, you can secure your account with the following options:
Passkey: The best security for your account;
Two-factor authentication (2FA): If creating a passkey is not possible;
IP address security: An additional small layer of security
Passkey
Why is a passkey so secure?
A passkey mainly uses biometrics, such as your fingerprint or facial recognition. This provides a higher level of security than traditional passwords. Traditional passwords can be compromised, whereas fingerprint-based security cannot.
Moreover, a passkey is a valuable addition to the other security measures within Informer. In combination with certifications, the SSL certificate, and continuous audits, a passkey ensures that your administration is always securely protected.
In addition, a passkey is not only secure but also more convenient to use. Remembering passwords becomes unnecessary, and additional two-factor authentication is no longer needed. The login process is therefore much faster while also being more secure.
How do I create a passkey in Informer?
To create a passkey, follow the steps below:
Go to Employees in the menu on the left;
Select your own user;
Open the Security and login details tab;
Click Create a new passkey;
Choose how you want to set up the passkey, for example via your phone;
The next steps depend on the browser and device you are using. Each device has its own steps for creating a passkey.
If you create the passkey via your phone and have fingerprint authentication enabled, you can log in to Informer using your fingerprint via your phone.
When setting up and using a passkey via your phone, Bluetooth must be enabled on both your computer and phone. The passkey is created via Bluetooth.
Should I create multiple passkeys?
It is strongly recommended to create multiple passkeys.
With multiple passkeys, you avoid problems if you lose access to one of your devices. By having passkeys on multiple devices, you always have a backup to create new passkeys.
If you set up a passkey on your mobile device, you can log in on your computer via your phone. Also set up a passkey on the computer itself. If something happens to your phone, you will still have access via the passkey on your computer.
To create multiple passkeys, go back to the user settings in Informer and repeat the process, choosing a different option when creating the passkey.
What should I do if I lose my passkey?
If you have created multiple passkeys on different devices, you will always have a backup to log in.
If you are still unable to log in for any reason, contact the helpdesk via chat or [email protected] so they can assist you.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
What is two-factor authentication?
2FA adds a second verification step on top of your password. You combine something you know (password) with something you have or are:
SMS code – a one-time code via SMS
Authenticator app – e.g. Google Authenticator or Authy (TOTP codes)
Hardware key – e.g. YubiKey (physical device)
Email code – a link or code via email
Biometrics as a second step – fingerprint or facial recognition as an addition
To enable two-factor authentication, the Google Authenticator app must be installed on your phone.
How do I activate two-factor authentication?
To activate two-factor authentication for your user, follow the steps below:
Go to Employees in the menu on the left;
Select your own user;
Open the Security and login details tab;
Enable the Two-factor authentication toggle;
Activate Two-factor authentication;
Scan the displayed QR code with the Google Authenticator app on your phone by clicking the + icon in the app;
If scanning does not work, you can manually enter the code in the app;
After scanning or entering the code, the two-factor authentication will be added to the Google Authenticator app.
During login, you will now also be asked for a two-factor authentication code.
Enforce two-factor authentication
As an account administrator, you can require all users to enable two-factor authentication.
To enforce two-factor authentication, follow the steps below:
Go to Security center in the menu on the left;
Enable Two-factor authentication;
Click Save to activate it;
From this moment, every user must set up two-factor authentication for their account.
Note: Until 2FA is set up, users will always be redirected to user settings and cannot use the system.
Limited validity
Users can set that on a known IP address, 2FA is only required once every 30 days. In that case, they can log in with the usual credentials during that period.
To increase security, you can choose to never allow this 30-day validity, requiring 2FA at every login.
To limit the validity of 2FA, follow the steps below:
Go to Security center in the menu on the left;
Enable Limit validity of two-factor authentication;
Users must now always use 2FA during login, regardless of a known IP address.
Security first
It is important to know that accounts stored in Google Authenticator are not saved in the cloud. The data remains on your device. This is more secure and also allows codes to be generated offline. However, this also means that when switching devices, you must manually set up your accounts again (e.g., scanning QR codes again).
What should I do if I lose my two-factor authentication?
If you change phones and have not transferred your Google Authenticator data, or if your phone is lost, contact the helpdesk via chat or [email protected] so they can assist you.
IP address security
By default, when you log in from a new IP address, Informer sends an email to the address in your user settings.
In this email, you must confirm that you are the one attempting to log in. The IP address is then added to your account, and future logins from that IP address are allowed directly.
Each user can choose to automatically validate new IP addresses. To maximize security, you can block this option.
To always block new IP addresses, follow the steps below:
Go to Security center in the menu on the left;
Enable Block new IP addresses.
Note: This setting does not apply if a user uses a passkey.
View, validate, or block existing IP addresses
If you log in from a new location, such as while on vacation, you may not want to permanently allow that IP address. You can view all IP addresses used to access the account.
To view existing IP addresses, follow the steps below:
Go to IP addresses in the menu on the left;
View, block, or validate IP addresses as desired.
Open the IP address and enable Blocked to block it;
Open the IP address and disable Blocked to validate it.