Google will start pushing more Gmail and Google account users to turn on two-step verification, an additional layer of security that can protect people when their credentials have been spoofed or exposed through a data breach.
Taking advantage of the fact that yesterday, May 6, is “World Password Day” (and many companies to announce news to motivate users to better protect their computers), Google has spoken of its intention to encourage more people to activate the two-step verification, also known as two-factor authentication. It is something that the company has been offering for many years, but the next step will be to implement it as a standard.
“We will soon begin to automatically enroll users in 2SV if their accounts are set up properly, “Mark Risher, director of product management for Google’s Identity and User Security group, explained on the company’s blog. Today’s request has been addressed “to people who have signed up for two-step verification (2SV) to confirm that they are really them with a simple tap through a Google prompt on their phone every time they log in.”.
And he added that we will soon begin to automatically enroll users in 2-Step Verification if their accounts are properly configured. In addition, it has reminded users that they can check the status of their account in the so-called “Security Checkup”.
That second factor may be an extra security key or it may be that you receive a notification to another device that you have to approve. In this way, even if someone has your username and password, they will not be able to easily access your account. Today, after logging in with a username and password, users who have signed up for 2SV receive a code via SMS, voice call, or notification in the Google app.
The other option is a security key like Google’s Titan key. Google has also incorporated its security keys into Android phones and last year offered the same capability for iPhones through its Smart Lock app for iOS.