Say bye to OTPs: DITO launches silent authentication service for digital transactions

• IN PHOTO: Executives from DITO Telecommunity, DITO CME, and DICT Undersecretary David Almirol unite at the launch of DITO Verified to champion Silent Network Authentication—a technology that silently verifies users via the carrier network in under four seconds with no codes required, eliminating fraud risks to make the DITO SIM the most secure mobile identity in Philippine digital banking. Pictured from left to right are Mr. Luigi Lopa, Deputy Chief Revenue Officer of DITO Telecommunity; Atty. Adel Tamano, Chief Commercial Officer of DITO Telecommunity; Usec. David Almirol, Undersecretary of DICT; Mr. Eric Alberto, President and CEO of DITO Telecommunity; Mr. Donald Lim, President and COO of DITO CME; and Mr. Leandro Santos, Assistant Vice President for DITO Enterprise.

DITO Telecommunity has launched DITO Verified, a new authentication service that allows users to verify their identity without one-time passwords (OTPs), positioning it as the country’s first commercially available Silent Network Authentication (SNA) solution.

The service, developed in partnership with U.S.-based cybersecurity company Shush Inc., authenticates users directly through the DITO mobile network and SIM card, eliminating the need for SMS-based OTPs, authentication codes, or additional user actions.

According to DITO, DITO Verified can confirm a user’s identity in as little as one to four seconds whenf accessing banking applications, e-wallets, and other digital platforms while connected to DITO mobile data.

Unlike traditional OTP systems, which rely on sending codes via SMS, DITO Verified performs a cryptographic exchange between the DITO network and the subscriber’s SIM card. Because no code is generated or transmitted, the system removes opportunities for fraudsters to intercept messages, steal credentials, or trick users into sharing authentication codes.

“Fraudsters today exploit weaknesses in legacy authentication methods. With DITO Verified, verification happens directly through the DITO mobile network — there is nothing for a scammer to steal,” said DITO Chief Commercial Officer Adel Tamano.

“This is our commitment: to make the DITO SIM the most secure mobile identity in Philippine digital banking,” he added.

The platform is powered by Shush Inc.’s Sherlock authentication infrastructure, which the company said is already deployed in more than 40 countries. The technology enables financial institutions and digital service providers to integrate silent authentication alongside existing OTP-based systems without significant changes to their current infrastructure.

Shush Inc. Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Eddie DeCurtis said the partnership demonstrates how carrier-based authentication can help improve digital security at scale.

“With DITO’s reach and Sherlock’s proven platform, we are demonstrating that carrier-native silent authentication can protect millions of Filipinos at scale,” DeCurtis said.

The launch comes as regulators push financial institutions to strengthen cybersecurity measures against phishing, account takeovers, and other forms of digital fraud.

DITO said the service aligns with the requirements of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and BSP Circular No. 1213, which require stronger and phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication mechanisms for financial institutions supervised by the central bank.

Because DITO Verified does not generate a transmittable authentication code, the company said the system is inherently resistant to common social engineering attacks that target OTP-based verification processes.

The authentication service will initially be rolled out through a growing network of enterprise partners, including Promotexter Philippines, which has provided enterprise messaging services in the country for nearly two decades.

“Promotexter has served the Philippine enterprise market for nearly two decades. We are here because we believe our clients deserve a security outcome  not just a delivery rate. DITO Verified through Promotexter is the upgrade the market has been waiting for,” said Philip Davis, President and CEO, Promotexter Philippines

The commercial launch follows the announcement of the DITO-Shush partnership during the Asian Carriers Conference in Cebu in 2025 and its subsequent showcase at the 2026 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where the technology was presented as part of emerging network API-based services.

The introduction of DITO Verified marks one of the first attempts in the Philippines to move beyond SMS-based authentication, as banks, fintech firms, and digital platforms seek stronger defenses against phishing, account compromise, and online scams that continue to target Filipino consumers.