The days of
passwords are gradually coming to an end with tech giants researching for
alternative means for people to log into their accounts with the use of
passwords. Google is currently testing a solution that will make you to log
into your google accounts with your mobile phone alone. Android owner Rohit Paul, who posted about the
test on Reddit yesterday, was invited to try it out and provided screenshots of
the process.
Once a user
authorizes their mobile device, they're able to input their account credentials
on any computer and receive a notification on their smartphone. The device must
have some type of screen lock security feature, as unlocking your phone is a
prerequisite to approving or denying access to the account with this method.
You're still given the option to log in with your regular password if you so
choose. Google's email to participating users explains how you can deactivate a
lost device, as well as add a new one in the event you upgrade your handset.
"We've
invited a small group of users to help test a new way to sign-in to their
Google accounts, no password required," a Google spokesperson told The
Verge in a statement. "'Pizza,' 'password,' and '123456' — your days are
numbered.
Beyond
alleviating concerns over commonly used passwords, Google says the tool is
another defense against hackers that rely on passwords to conduct phishing
operations. A phishing attack tricks users into entering sensitive information
by replacing legitimate login windows with disguised versions designed to
capture and store the data.
This test joins
a number of other Google initiatives aimed at improving security. Google has
one of the most robust two-factor authentication services of any tech giant,
meaning millions of Google account owners now sign in on the web using a code
sent to them via text message. The company also has its Authenticator app,
which generates a unique code on your mobile device to confirm your identity
when signing into Google and third-party web services on a computer. In April,
the company released the Password Alert Chrome extension designed to notify
users when they may have input their password into a non-Google website.
In the case of
the password-killing tool, Google is borrowing from Yahoo, which in October
announced a security feature called Yahoo Account Key. Arriving as part of the
Yahoo Mail redesign, Account Key links your mobile device with your Yahoo
account and a notification is sent every time you try and log in on another
device. Yahoo had previously transitioned account passwords to single-use SMS
codes, and with Account Key it's trying to eliminate them for good. Now Google
is following suit, albeit with a smaller test program for the time being.
Source: www.theverge.com
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