Once enabled, Login Verification requires users to enter a one-time code when logging in from a new device (in addition to their password). This kind of extra protection is especially relevant now that Snapchat is offering additional services such as Snapcash, to help prevent a thief from logging in as you and sending money from your account to another Snapchat account. On Monday, Snapchat released version 9.9.0 of the app for Android and iOS, with an optional new security feature called Login Verification that helps prevent unauthorized account access. More recently, however, Snapchat has picked up its security game in a big way – notably, since April 2014 when it hired a new director of information security, ex-Googler Jad Boutros, who says he is building a “culture of security” at the company. In the past couple of years, Snapchat has run into trouble with the US Federal Trade Commission for its deceptive marketing practices, and was blasted by security researchers for really poor security of users’ account information. Snapchat is hugely popular with teens and young adults as a way to send short-lived photo and video messages, but it hasn’t won many fans in the security business.

Snapchat not logging in