Why We Rely on KYC

Transparent Identity Verification for Enhanced Security in Cloud Computing

In a digital world where data security and trust are among the most precious assets, we all face the same challenge: How can we remain open and accessible while ensuring security? It's a balancing act that we live daily at Flow Swiss – and one we'd like to discuss openly with you today.

An Uncomfortable Truth

Let's be honest: The internet is no longer the trustworthy place it might once have been. After more than ten years in the cloud business, we've observed how fraudsters' methods have become increasingly sophisticated. SMS verifications and credit card information, which were once sufficient security measures, now barely present obstacles.

This development presented us with a dilemma: How can we protect our platform without making honest customers suffer through complicated processes? How do we preserve the value of our free trial period without opening it up to abuse?

The Person Behind the Screen

For us, the answer was clear: We need to be able to see the person behind the screen. Not as an abstract collection of data, but as a real individual. After intensive evaluation, we decided on an approach that has primarily been used in banking until now: AI-supported digital identity verification, also known as Know Your Customer (KYC).

"This decision wasn't easy for us," explains Reto Giezendanner, co-founder of Flow Swiss. "We knew that we would be introducing an additional step in the registration process. But we were concerned with a fundamental value: the trust that our existing customers place in our platform."

Simple, Secure, and Respectful

When implementing this solution, one principle was central for us: customer experience and security must go hand in hand. The verification should be as simple as possible while meeting the highest data protection standards.

The process is remarkably straightforward: After registration, customers can choose between three types of documents – passport, ID card, or driver's license. The document can be photographed and uploaded using a smartphone. The final step is a simple selfie that is compared with the photo on the ID. The entire process takes only a few minutes and is fully automated.

It was important for us to work with a partner who shares our high security standards. As an ISO-27001 certified company, we expect at least the same certification from our service providers. Our verification partner not only meets this requirement but is additionally SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR compliant – standards that are often only common in the financial sector.

A Community of Trust

This measure is part of a larger vision: We want to create a cloud platform that is not only technically excellent but also trustworthy. An environment where our customers can feel secure.

"We are aware that this additional step might deter some interested users," admits Bojan Jovanovic, co-founder of Flow Swiss. "But we are convinced that most customers will see this as an advantage. Because ultimately, we are not just protecting our platform, but also our customer community."

The benefits are clear: The risk of DDoS attacks or spam messages via our infrastructure is minimized. This positively affects the operation and reputation of the platform and gives us more time to focus on what really matters: our customers and the further development of our services.

Transparency as a Core Principle

This initiative exemplifies our core principle: We believe that security comes through transparency. By openly discussing our measures and explaining why we make certain decisions, we want to create a foundation of trust that goes beyond mere business relationships.

Because at the end of the day, it's not just about cloud services, servers, and data. It's about people trusting each other. And we want to earn this trust anew every day.