Covert
The protective response remains hidden when a visible alarm, refusal or lockout could increase danger to the user.
Protection without confrontationStealth Mode Use CasesEight situations where adaptive security can protect the user.
Stealth Mode and Double PIN Technology can respond differently according to the action, the user's context and the level of risk. Protection may remain covert to avoid confrontation, become overt when a visible challenge is safer, adapt privileges in real time, or act proactively before danger arises.
Covert when requiredProtect without exposing the response.
Overt when necessaryChallenge, warn or block visibly when safer.
Adaptive by contextChange limits, privileges and information.
Proactive before riskApply safer policies before exposure occurs.
Four response qualities
Security should respond to the situation, not only the credential.
A valid credential can be entered willingly, observed by another person, stolen, socially engineered or disclosed under duress. Stealth Mode therefore supports more than one response style.
Overt
The system visibly blocks, challenges or warns when disclosure is safe and a clear security response is the better outcome.
Visible when saferAdaptive
Limits, permissions, available information and processing can change according to the action, channel, context and assessed risk.
Policy-controlled responseProactive
A user or organisation can establish a safer state before entering a risky environment or beginning a sensitive workflow.
Protection before exposure
Eight practical applications
Where Stealth Mode can make a meaningful difference.
Each use case combines separate identification and authorisation with a response that can be covert, overt, adaptive or proactive according to the configured security policy.
01
Banking Cardless ATM
Cardless ATM withdrawals
A user initiates a withdrawal before reaching the ATM. PIN 1 identifies the user and a dynamic PIN 2 authorises the specific withdrawal. If the user is being forced to withdraw cash, a reverse PIN or dedicated Stealth PIN can silently activate a safer outcome.
Possible responseReduce the withdrawal amount, reject processing behind a believable message, restrict repeat withdrawals or require a safer follow-up.
CovertAdaptiveProactive
02
Digital Money E-wallet
E-wallet transfers and cash-out
Shoulder-surfing, social engineering and coercion can expose a permanent wallet PIN. Double PIN Technology limits this risk by using a separate, time-bound authorisation PIN for the transfer or cash-out request.
Possible responseLower the transferable amount, hide selected recipients, delay high-risk actions, allow only a limited wallet view or visibly challenge the transaction when the environment is safe.
CovertOvertAdaptive
03
Payments 3D Secure
Online card payments and 3D Secure
In an integrated payment flow, 3D Secure can identify the cardholder while Double PIN Technology uses PIN 2 to authorise the specific purchase. This prevents successful identity verification from automatically becoming unrestricted transaction authority.
Possible responseApprove a lower-risk amount, block a merchant or action, return a plausible payment response, or overtly require additional verification when the risk can be safely disclosed.
CovertOvertAdaptive
04
Applications Elevated Access
Application login and elevated access
A user may be legitimately authenticated but no longer acting freely. Stealth Mode can allow the application to open while silently changing what the session can see and do. PIN 2 can then be required for higher-risk actions.
Possible responseHide balances or records, remove administration functions, restrict account sections, replace real data with a limited view or overtly lock elevated actions.
CovertOvertAdaptiveProactive
05
Information Sensitive Documents
Sensitive document access
Confidential documents can require PIN 1 for local identification and a dynamic PIN 2 for viewing. In an offline implementation, PIN 2 can be stored locally in encrypted form, bound to a specified phone number and retrieved through SMS or USSD.
Possible responseShow a restricted document version, hide selected pages, deny export or printing, allow no processing, or present a safe explanation without revealing that protected content exists.
CovertAdaptiveProactive
06
Account Security Sensitive Changes
Account recovery and sensitive changes
Password resets, new beneficiaries, contact-detail changes, device enrolment and recovery actions can transfer long-term control. PIN 2 can authorise each action separately instead of treating a successful login as sufficient authority.
Possible responsePlace changes into a limited state, block high-impact updates, defer activation, reduce privileges or overtly require a trusted recovery channel when the risk warrants it.
OvertAdaptiveProactive
07
Commerce Handover and Release
Marketplace handover and payment release
Handover PINs, buyer receipt PINs and release PINs can protect the stages of a marketplace transaction. If one party is pressured to release funds or confirm receipt, Stealth Mode can prevent the credential from transferring full authority.
Possible responseKeep funds protected, register a limited handover state, delay release, require independent confirmation or return a believable processing message without confronting the coercer.
CovertOvertAdaptive
08
Enterprise Privileged Systems
Enterprise and privileged system access
Administrators, finance teams, support agents and executives often hold authority that can cause significant harm if misused or coerced. Double PIN Technology can separate ordinary access from approval of high-impact actions.
Possible responseRemove elevated privileges, hide sensitive datasets, reduce approval limits, require overt step-up authorisation, restrict exports or silently place the session into a controlled profile.
CovertOvertAdaptiveProactive
Implementation principles
The safest response depends on context.
Stealth Mode does not require every incident to produce the same result. Organisations can configure the response according to the protected action, user role, channel, risk level and likely consequences of revealing that security has been activated.
Protect the user and the system
Security should defend system integrity without placing the legitimate user in greater danger.
Separate identity from authority
Knowing who the user is should not automatically authorise every sensitive action available to that user.
Shorten credential value
Dynamic, time-bound authorisation limits how long a disclosed or observed credential remains useful.
Preserve a believable experience
When covert protection is required, the interface can remain plausible while the real authority is reduced.
Human-centred security
Valid credentials should not mean unlimited control.
Across all eight use cases, the principle remains the same: Double PIN Technology separates identification from authorisation, while Stealth Mode adapts the user's effective authority according to risk and context.