Are passwords going away? Here's what Google plans to do.
Google took another step toward eliminating passwords on Tuesday (10). The company announced that Access Keys will be the new default authentication method for all accounts. “The key is an easy and secure way to log in to your Google Account without requiring a password,” the company says.
But what about mobile phones? Will the company do away with passwords altogether? Keep reading to see what will change.
What will change?
The next time you sign in to your Google Account, you’ll be prompted to create and use a passkey. Even if you turn on passkeys, you can still use them as normal. According to Google product managers Christiaan Brand and Sriram Karra, this method is more secure and “will simplify sign-in in the future.”
This information comes from TechCrunch. Passkeys are considered the “beginning of the end” of passwords, making them less vulnerable to cyberattacks and freeing users from the worry of creating and forgetting difficult combinations or having them leaked online.
See how access keys work
This technology uses a securely generated code to authenticate your access to websites and apps. It consists of two cryptographic keys. One resides on the server of the app or website (in this case, Google). The other is stored on your personal device to help you prove that you are the legitimate account holder. This approach makes it nearly impossible for hackers to access your account remotely. Even in the event of a server hack. After all, to do so they would need physical access to the user’s device.
Main benefits
Users don’t need to memorize sequences of letters, numbers, and characters. Logging into your account using your fingerprint or facial recognition technology is also supported. You can use passkeys with multiple systems, browsers, websites, and apps.
Passkeys are so strong that they cannot be guessed or reused, protecting you against hacker attacks. Additionally, these types of access are linked to the application or website for which they were created. This prevents users from accidentally logging into unauthorized services.
Google was one of the first companies to support the use of passkeys in May 2022, announcing support for Android and Chrome browsers. It also added passwordless technology as a method for authenticating Google accounts.
Types of authentication on mobile
In addition to access keys, there are several other types of authentication for blocking cell phones, computers and applications. See the main ones below.
Unlock with pattern
Few methods are less secure than pattern unlocking. The system consists of groups of up to nine dots, which the user must connect by drawing lines on the screen without taking their finger off the display. This is more convenient than a password and is often used by users of cheaper or older smartphones, which often do not have fingerprint readers.
But be careful, a recent study in the US concluded that an unlocking pattern of up to six positions can be repeated by two out of three people, once observed.
PIN or numeric password
A PIN consists of a 4 or 6 digit password that, when entered correctly, will unlock your device. It is more secure than a standard unlock design, but it can also be easily spied on by someone nearby.
According to security experts, the lock code must have at least 6 digits (1 million possible combinations) to be sufficiently secure. This makes it impossible not only for short-range eavesdropping attacks, but also, more importantly, for brute-force attacks, where a malicious programmer tries to enter all possible combinations to obtain data.
Alphanumeric password
This is a very secure way to protect your phone's data. However, you must set a complex password using uppercase, lowercase, and special characters. The downside is that these passwords are difficult to remember.
Biometric lock
Using your fingerprint to unlock your phone is one of the best ways to ensure the security of the data stored on your device. This is because each person’s unique biometric data is encrypted and almost never stolen. Therefore, biometric authentication on your phone ensures that only the owner can unlock the screen, increasing security.
Facial recognition
THE facial recognition is a type of biometric data used in smartphones, such as fingerprint sensors and iris scanners, to ensure data security. In general, facial recognition is based on the ability to identify facial elements and features.
