Multi factor Authentication fail

@dsmmrm a question from a non IT professional: do you use a VPN by chance?

Hi @dsmmrm,

When a browser logs into SimpliSafe for the first time, it automatically generates unique IDs that are stored in the browser's cookies and local storage. If something is clearing either of those for your browsers, it will cause new ones to be generated which will require verification through your email again. Do you have any programs that run automatically such as CCleaner? Programs like these can delete cookies and local storage from your browsers. Also, browsers such as Chrome may have a setting such as "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome" which will also cause this issue.

SimpliSafe Social Team
SimpliSafe Home Security

Captain11: In my house now 1 windows machine is on VPN, 3 are not. I use SS on all of them. The one on the VPN is the least affected by this in that I only get the MFA interaction occasionally, not every single time like the others. There are 3 android phones that also access SS. MFA requests come up sporadically on those.

Team S: I am familiar with the various ways of cleaning cookies and I do not use any at the moment. Counter to the guidance of my own profession I allow a lot of non-essential sites to log in automatically with cookies. I do not do this with SS, I still use a password manually. It is only recently that the MFA process started this behavior. Also, frequently I have to do it twice as it will return to the same screen immediately after checking the verify email box. That behavior is described in another incident in this forum.

Is there a possibility to use a different method for MFA, like SMS or an authenticator app?

@dsmmrm thanks for answering my question. I have no issues with SS 2FA on Edge, Chrome or FF, but if I do clean my computer, I have to do 2FA again, and once for each browser used. Other than that,  I do not have to reauthenticate. Example: I can go weeks using Edge with no issues.  When I do use my VPN, all cards are off the table. Only other thing is that I do use a PW Manager, attempting to see what may be different.

Definitely would prefer actual 2FA in the form of TOTP (aka "authenticator app").

I use FreeOTP+, which is excellent.  (And Free as-in speech, and free as-in beer.)

SS and Chase are the only ones in the world who give me this grief on a constant basis.  The email verification is quite frankly, a PITA.  Oh wait, it's only half as bad as SS's failure to create ONE login to browse site-wide (i.e., from forum directly to account, back to forum, etc, I guess that's just way too hard to contemplate a single login fix).