Edit: This article is now defunct as PayPal has finally added proper 2FA. This article will remain online as a source for researchers.
Two factor authentication is exceptionally effective at keeping your accounts, and your money, safe from cyber attacks. Symantec offers one solution for generating two-factor security – it is called the Symantec VIP Access Key. The purpose of this article is to provide ease of access for securing your PayPal account with such a key.
At the time of this writing PayPal has undergone a website redesign that has obscured access to certain features – one such feature is the ability to register a new two-factor authentication token. The obvious page, and the linked to page on Symantec’s where to page, pointed to paypal.com/securitykey. Unfortunately this page offers absolutely no way to actually add a security key and, instead, is a page for registering a telephone.
So how do you actually add a Symantec VIP Access key to your PayPal account? Follow along…
- Log in to PayPal
- Click the settings gear in the top right.
- Select Security tab
- Click on Security Key (edit)
- On the bottom select Get special offers now
- Select Get one today
- Select Activate on the right.
Alternately just click the link in Step 7 after completing and skip steps 2-6.
Paypal users can only use a cell phone / text validation or VIP Access app, similar to Google Authenticator but a Symantec product. Hard token or key cards can be registered but will error out “https://www.paypal.com/auth/twofactor
Looks like there was a problem with the code you entered. Let’s try that again”.
Here is the secret hidden clandestine method for registering VIP Access as 2nd login authentication for Paypal :
forumuser1234 wrote:
[On the page where it tries to have you register your mobile phone, simply click on “Cancel” at the bottom of the form and it will take you to a page that will allow you to register your existing physical paypal security key or a Verisign security key.]
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I have been searching for this forever. They truly hide the security token registration. It’s like they want you to use SMS only.
To clarify, the only way you can use an app for 2FA is to use the Symantec VIP Access app. (I had to get that despite the fact that all of my other authorization codes are generated by Authy.) Then you can register VIP Access using the process for registering a “Verisign security key.” When it asks for a serial #, use the CREDENTIAL ID that appears on the VIP Access screen above the SECURITY CODE.
Seriously secret hidden clandestine method (U.F’ing.B.) from the http://www.paypal-community.com.
Jeff
Seems PayPal has deactivated usage of VIP Access. Every time when I am going to register my new serial number (after mobile phone renewal), I get an error message. In another forum I have read that PayPal is no longer supporting this 🙁
Some parts of PayPal do not work with this 2 factor method enabled. I’ve had to disable it many times to get online payment forms working. A real shame, I cannot understand why they don’t get a functional 2 factor auth system and force sms codes.
Is PayPal still in crisis over 2FA security? – its 2017 now, three years after they had to disable it in 2014 and now Symantec VIP 2FA is not either not supported or its setup hidden. Should we be worried and go back to credit cards?
Symatec VIP 2FA definitely breaks some stuff, I’ve had to switch it off to complete purchases.
As for credit cards, if you’re using PayPal just pay with credit – you’ll keep protection of PayPal and CC.
It’s still possible to register Symantec VIP for use with a PayPal account.
Log into your PayPal account and go here:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_setup-security-key
bndco – Thank you. All the other links & suggestion above didn’t work or weren’t available anymore. Your’s worked great & I’m back on Symantec VIP tokens for authentication.