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Google Upping Game to Kill Passwords

December 23, 2015

Passwords are not dead, but Google sure is trying to accelerate a shorter life span. You really have to admire Google for trying to protect users from themselves by providing methods that prevent poor password selection. Let's face it, with all the data breaches we continue to hear about, a major contributor to account compromise is the usage of weak passwords.

Google is currently testing a method for users to log into their Google accounts by utilizing their mobile phone as an authentication device. One requirement is that the phone must have some type of screen lock (e.g. PIN, password, swipe, etc.). You register your mobile phone to your Google accounts and won't have to use a password again. You enter your account credentials on a computer and then receive notification on your smartphone. Answer 'yes' and the computer logs on. No password needed.

A Google spokesperson stated "We've invited a small group of users to help test a new way to sign-in to their Google accounts, no password required. Pizza, password and 123456 – your days are numbered." I'm all for making the login process more secure.

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Digital Forensics/Information Security/Information Technology
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