Google, in its effort to provide as much protection as possible to its users, offers two-factor authentication. However, many people don't use it because they find it quite annoying to wait for a code to arrive every time they want to log in to a Google app.
For this reason, Google decided to simplify the process so that more and more people can use this secure method.
The company announced that users will now be able to use an Android smartphone as a physical security key. This feature will make it easier to sign in to Google appswhile also offering the security of two-factor authentication.
The process is simple. You connect your phone via Bluetooth to a Chrome browser and verify your login. The only requirement is that your phone must be running Android Nougat 7.0 or higher.
The new feature was announced at the Cloud Next conference. According to the company, the feature includes the same WebAuthn and FIDO APIs used in the Titan Security Key.
Two-factor authentication is very important as it prevents hackers from carrying out phishing attacks and obtaining user credentials.
Similarly, FIDO security keys, such as the Titan Security Key, protect the account from phishing attacks.
Google's goal is to turn Android phones into physical security keys so that more people can take advantage of the benefits of the above features.
The steps on how to use your phone as a security key:
- Step 1: Open Google Chrome on your Windows, ChromeOS, or macOS device.
- Step 2: Sign in to your Google Account on an Android phone and turn on Bluetooth.
- Step 3: Open myaccount.google.com/security in Chrome and select “Two-Step Verification”.
- Step 4: Tap the option to add a security key and select your phone from the list of devices.
Currently, this feature is only available on Android phones and only for Google services.
