Google marks World Password Day by announcing that the company will automatically enrolling users in two-step verification (2SV) if their accounts are appropriately configured. Users will be required to confirm their identity by tapping a Google prompt on their phone whenever they sign in.
Each year on the first Thursday in May, World Password Day promotes better password habits. Passwords are critical gatekeepers to our digital identities, allowing us to access online shopping, dating, banking, social media, private work, and life communications.
(You can check the status of your account in our Security Checkup). Using their mobile device to sign in gives people a safer and more secure authentication experience than passwords alone.
We are also building advanced security technologies into devices to make this multi-factor authentication seamless and even more secure than a password. For example, we’ve built our security keys directly into Android devices, and launched our Google Smart Lock app for iOS, so now people can use their phones as their secondary form of authentication.
MacDailyNews Take: Happy World Password Day! 😉
No Google does not get to tie my phone number to my test gmail account.
There are other ways to verify, but you sound, how shall I say…. “entitled” to a test Gmail account.
Just sayin…
What happens if you don’t have a cell phone? Does this create a digital divide? What is meant by the term ” if their accounts are appropriately configured”?
Three weeks ago at work we had a security breach and we have been specifically told to limit providing our mobile (cell) numbers. We also were specifically told NOT to provide our numbers to Amazon, eBay or social media sites because they’re not secure enough to pass the “pub test”. Credit providers and PayPal were also included as well.
You should always have a choice in these matters and NOT have this imposed on you.
To better target your tracks, purchases, medical, locations, and habits, of course; Google wants to be the only one to spy and track you, well, except anyone else (“trusted partners,” NSA, the many private and gov. police forces) to whom it sells your info.