In a new upgrade, ARPHA, the scholarly publishing platform, developed by scholarly publisher and technology provider Pensoft, improves user experience across its entire portfolio of around 100 open-access peer-reviewed journals, conference outputs and preprint publication venues.
Users of any journal or platform hosted on ARPHA will no longer need to remember, store, or update passwords to access their journal accounts. By adopting passwordless log-in, signing-in is now seamless, faster, and significantly more secure.
How to sign in?
Whether you are submitting a manuscript, reviewing a paper, or managing an editorial workload, getting into your account takes just a few clicks:
- Magic link: Enter your email address on the log-in page. You will receive an email titled “Sign in to [Journal Name]” containing a single-click Sign-in button.
- Cross-device 6-digit code: If you request sign-in on your computer but open the email on another device, the email will display a 6-digit code. Simply enter this code into your browser to log in.
- Google or ORCID: You can also sign in instantly using your Google or ORCID account.
How to register as a new user?
New users register using the exact same streamlined process. They simply need to enter their email address to get started. Alternatively, they can sign up by either filling out the form or using their ORCID account.
Why ditch passwords?
Password-based authentication is quickly becoming an outdated security standard. Moving away from passwords offers major benefits for researchers and editors:
- No password risks: Weak, reused, or compromised passwords are the leading cause of online account breaches. Removing passwords eliminates this vulnerability entirely.
- Resistance to phishing: Phishing pages can no longer capture user credentials because no passwords exist on our platform.
- Verified communication: Every log-in re-verifies ownership of your email address, keeping user profiles accurate and active.
- Proven standard: This approach follows modern authentication standards trusted by the majority of trusted platforms worldwide.
How does it improve security?
This upgrade adds multi-layered protections to keep your data safe:
- Single-use & time-sensitive access: Magic links expire in 15 minutes, and 6-digit codes expire in 10 minutes. Requesting a new sign-in email instantly invalidates previous links.
- Browser-bound verification: Verification codes are bound specifically to the original browser session. Even if someone gets hold of the link or code, they cannot use it from an unauthorised device.
- Attempt & rate limits: Sessions lock automatically after 5 incorrect code entries. There are also limits on how many emails can be requested over a short timeframe.
- Cryptographic hash storage: ARPHA does not store raw passwords, links, or codes, which ensures that user data remains fully secure.
- Safe from automated email scanners: Enterprise security software and email scanners won’t accidentally trigger or invalidate your link; log-in requires an explicit user click.
What to keep in mind?
Because account access is linked directly to your email, your account security depends on how secure your inbox is. We strongly recommend enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on your personal/institutional email provider.
