Whilst most of us walk around with 10 or more password in our heads, the days of alphanumerical passwords seem to be numbered.
Google are currently in the process of finding a way to get rid of this pesky and unsecure method of authentication after growing concerns about security. Whilst little is known about what technology Google intend to use, the Google security team have outlined a number of possible technologies that could be used, from USB to ring finger authentication.
2012 was a bad year for Google and passwords in general. The number of accounts getting hacked rose, with the ‘Mugged in London’ email hack being one of the most common.
Google have announced that they are no longer convinced that the password is enough to keep their users safe. Google have already introduced 2 step verification to help increase security – sending your phone a verification code for you to login with once you’ve input your password. Whilst this isn’t absolutely fool proof (phishing can still get round this) it is the best way to protect your data.
In the future we expect to see many companies employing some form of chip/USB login card. Once large companies such as Google begin to implement this kind of technology, the rest of the world will undoubtedly follow suit.