Account security is a huge priority at Rentec Direct. Learn all about the robust and industry-best methods Rentec Direct utilizes to protect your data, as well as the ways that you can protect against phishing and keep your password and access secure.
Rentec Direct is deeply committed to protecting your information and funds. We achieve this through robust security measures and by continually updating our systems to combat evolving threats. As a pioneer in two-factor authentication for property management software in 2014, and as the first property management software to offer a passkey security feature, Rentec Direct continues its commitment to leading the industry in cutting-edge security, safeguarding your data.
How Rentec Direct Protects Your Data
Rentec Direct employs a multi-layered approach to security, utilizing industry best practices and advanced technologies:
- Encryption: All communication between your computer and Rentec Direct’s servers is secured with 256-bit or stronger TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption, similar to what major banks use. Sensitive data, like payment information, receives an additional layer of encryption even during internal server transmissions.
- Storage Security Payment, personal, and private data are encrypted before being stored in databases, a best practice in the payment industry. This encryption prevents unauthorized access to data even in the event of physical theft from a data center.
- Security Best Practices in Development: Rentec Direct’s development team specializes in programming security, addressing common vulnerabilities, and re-checking new code with seasoned programmers and third-party experts. New code is also “sandboxed” for further testing before deployment. Transaction-level security verifies user permissions at every step.
- Access Monitoring: All system access is monitored both automatically and manually by human personnel to address security issues, such as brute-force attempts, immediately.
- Third-Party Scanning Rentec Direct regularly undergoes external verification and scanning of its servers, websites, and networks by the same agencies used by banks, ensuring compliance with the strict PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
- Offsite Backups: Data is served from the closest Amazon data center to you via a Cloudflare content delivery network (CDN), providing an additional layer of security and ensuring the quick restoration of operations even in the worst-case scenario.
- Experienced Staff Rentec Direct’s development staff has been creating secure web-based applications since 1996, nearly the entire lifespan of the public internet.
Your Role in Account Security: Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication
While Rentec Direct provides robust security, your access credentials are a crucial layer of protection that you control.
- Creating a Strong Password
- Your password should be a minimum of 12 characters, with longer being better.
- Include a mix of lower and upper-case letters, along with at least one special character or number. Mixing all four character types is even better. Consider a fully punctuated sentence, which may be easier to remember.
- Store your passwords securely. Because it’s nearly impossible to remember complex passwords these days, it’s recommended to use a trusted password manager or other secure encrypted method to save your passwords.
- Do not use the same password for Rentec Direct or other services that you use for your email service. Your email account should always have a unique separate password from all other online services.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Rentec Direct requires all users with online payment processing access to set up two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds an extra verification step beyond your username and password, making it extremely difficult for hackers or phishing attempts to succeed.- Passkeys (Also Known as Security Keys) are supported by Rentec Direct, which is considered the most secure method for online accounts. Rentec Direct supports both physical passkeys (the most secure) and electronic passkeys, which are available via many password managers and mobile devices.
- Text Message-Based Authentication: This is a viable option, but it’s crucial to be aware that sophisticated phishing attempts may attempt to trick you into providing your text-based 2FA code. Rentec Direct has enhanced text-based 2FA to include the login attempt location/mobile carrier, helping you identify the source.
- View Recent Logins
Rentec Direct’s ‘View Recent Logins’ option gives you insight into your past logins or the logins of your employees. Watch for an upcoming announcement with all the details about this new feature. The report will display the time and date of the connection, its origin, and the risk level of the connection used for logging in. If you suspect your account, or the account of one of your employees, is being misused, this is the first step to see who is logging into the account and from where.
Protecting Against Phishing Attempts
Phishing schemes can be very sophisticated, and Rentec Direct actively works to educate users and implement features to combat them.
- Be Cautious of Search Results for Login Pages: Bad actors can place ads that appear to be legitimate search results for Rentec Direct or other services, leading to fake login pages that can look identical to the legitimate login page. Tip: Never use a search engine to find Rentec Direct’s login page; use a bookmark instead.
- Direct Login: The safest way to log in to Rentec Direct or any other important financial site is to type `www.rentecdirect.com/login` directly into your browser’s address bar and then bookmark that page for future use. If you are using a mobile device, use Rentec Direct’s mobile app instead of a browser to enhance your security level.
- Account Security Updates: Rentec Direct takes a proactive approach to security by implementing updates, such as notifying you when a bank account is updated for owners or vendors, informing users of banking platforms that are prone to fraud, and notifying you if your contact information is updated.
- New login notices: If we detect a new login from a previously unknown device, we’ll send you an email notifying you of the login. If the login appears suspicious, immediately log in, change your password, and verify that two-factor authentication is enabled.
- Automatic Logouts: When you change your password, you will now be logged out of all other active sessions.
Coming Soon
We are excited to announce that we will soon release a new authentication option, in addition to Passkey and SMS.
- TOTP – There are many apps out there, including Google Authenticator, Twilio, 1Password, and others that provide Time-Based One-Time Password two-factor authentication support. If you have remote employees who cannot set up a passkey, TOTP will be a great option for them as it is even more widely supported than passkeys in modern mobile and desktop platforms. We will be adding this as a two-factor option in the coming weeks.
Final Thoughts
At Rentec Direct, the privacy and security of your data are top priorities, and we continually enhance our security features with the most up-to-date security measures.
You can check out the System Updates and News & Tips on your Summary page to see the latest Rentec Direct features and industry-related topics, or subscribe to Rentec Direct Blog Product Updates and have updates delivered directly to your inbox.
Suggest a Feature
Our goal is always to make your tasks as a landlord, property manager, or investor simpler, quicker, and more efficient. One of the ways we accomplish this is by reviewing valuable feedback and input from our awesome clients. If there’s anything you would like to see added to enhance your Rentec Direct experience, please send your ideas and suggestions to success@rentecdirect.com and help us shape the future of Rentec Direct.
About Rentec Direct
Rentec Direct delivers industry-leading property management software and tenant screening solutions to real estate professionals. Key features include online rent payments, a mobile app and tenant portal, vacancy listing syndication, and accounting tools. Founded in 2007, Rentec Direct is the third-largest software in its sector and is consistently the highest-rated by investors, landlords, and property managers. Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for eight consecutive years, Rentec Direct was also named Real Estate Company of the Year in the 2025 American Business Awards and listed among the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Top 100 Small Businesses. rentecdirect.com