The new mandatory 2SV combined with other security-oriented features like Password Import, Password Manager and Security Checkup will reduce the spread of weak credentials, making online experiences across the web safer.
Google will soon automatically enroll its users in two-factor authentication or two-step verification (2SV). The feature is currently offered by the software giant to its users as an option, but the search giant says the new move is aimed at increasing security as passwords are the single biggest threat to online security.
In a blog post, Mark Risher, Director of Product Management, Identity and User Security at Google, “You may not realize it, but passwords are the single biggest threat to your online security – they’re easy to steal, they’re hard to remember, and managing them is tedious. Many people believe that a password should be as long and complicated as possible – but in many cases, this can actually increase the security risk.”
Risher added, “Complicated passwords tempt users into using them for more than one account; in fact, 66% of Americans admit to using the same password across multiple sites, which makes all those accounts vulnerable if anyone falls.” Google’s 2SV already exists and can be activated optionally. But the search giant will make activating the feature mandatory at an unspecified date in the future.Google also recently launched a new Password Import feature that allows people to upload up to 1,000 passwords at a time from various third-party sites into Google’s Password Manager for free. The new mandatory 2SV combined with other security-oriented features like Password Import, Password Manager and Security Checkup will reduce the spread of weak credentials, making online experiences across the web safer.
