Popular password management app 1Password is out today with a sharp new feature that makes it easy to create virtual credit card numbers for much safer and more convenient online purchases. The new option allows you to quickly create virtual cards in your browser with spending and frequency limits and the cards are saved in 1Password.
Update: For now, creating virtual cards is limited to using a debit card or a checking account as the source.
1Password announced the new virtual card feature today and comes through a partnership with Privacy.com (via MacRumors). The new feature allows you to create an unlimited amount of virtual cards and offers great privacy controls to make sure you don’t see any unexpected expenses.
The feature is now live (US only at the moment) in the 1Password X Google Chrome extension and the Safari extension is arriving soon. Apple Pay (and Apple Card) uses a virtual card number for enhanced security (although not to the same degree as 1Password here) and some other credit cards like Citi offer virtual number support. However, this looks like the first time a password manager has launched a seamless integration to create and use unlimited virtual credit cards.
Sidenote: Interestingly, a startup called Final that was an early virtual number pioneer was acquired by Goldman Sachs, who is the partner bank for Apple Card. And full on virtual number support for online purchases would certainly be something Apple Card users would appreciate.
Here’s how the new 1Password/Privacy.com feature works:
1Password notes how virtual cards offer better security:
Create new Privacy.com virtual cards right from your browser. When you’re asked to enter a card number, 1Password will show you an option to create a virtual card instead. You can give it any name you choose.
Set spending limits. When you create a new Privacy card with 1Password, you can set a spending limit there and then. You can choose a one-off payment, monthly or annual limits, or a total amount.
Save card details in 1Password. If you like, you can save your new virtual card in 1Password so it’s always to hand if you need to quickly grab the CVV number. When it’s time to enter payment details again, we’ll show any cards associated with the site you’re on. That way, you won’t create cards you don’t need.
Check out the video below and 1Passwords’ blog post here for more details:
When you create a card, it’s locked to that merchant so it can only be used for that particular site or service. So if the card details are ever exposed in a data breach, they can’t be used elsewhere.
