Remembering different passwords for various social media accounts and other websites is one of the biggest problems that internet users face today. Yes, the “remember password” option does help negate things at times but you can’t always be at the mercy of that option, right?
Well, Google is making life much easier for its users as its introducing fingerprint login for its app and services which will not require users to enter passwords every time they want access to a Google service.
The feature is available starting today and will be made available to some Android devices and will be made available to all phones running Android 7 Nougat or later “over the next few days”.
As given in a Google Help page, the feature also allows users to log in to any of the Google apps and services using the same authentication method you use to log in to your phone be it a four-digit pin or the pattern lock.
This is possible through a technology known as FIDO2 and the WebAuthn Protocol, which allows devices to use on-device hardware to provide access to web applications. It is accessible to all websites and can be used to secure web-based logins.
The hardware on smartphones these days — like fingerprint sensors and retina scanners — are compatible with FIDO2 which is why they are more secure than passwords as they don’t need to be stored online for authentication.
Android users are already able to use fingerprint scanners to secure their Google Pay account, and people will be able to use the same biometric option to log in to other Google apps from now on.
Google Chrome does provide you with a password management system where all your passwords are stored and you can also have a look at the password in case you forget one.
However, we advice you to use this password manager on your personal PC and not office desktop, as anyone will be able to gain access to all your passwords.
And, here’s how:
Passwords are known to have a lot of vulnerabilities against hacks and ‘phising’ which is why having an authentication platform on the device makes it easier and more secure.
Since all your fingerprint and biometric data is stored locally, it makes accessing various accounts through the same source more convenient and much safer.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)