We are all familiar with Google’s two-step verification process, but we never tent to use it. Mostly because waiting for an OTP every time you log into a Google app proves to be inconvenient.
Now, Google has made the two-step verification much simpler.
Google has just announced that one can now use Android smartphones as a physical security key, offering users a more convenient way to log into Google apps with the security of two-step verifications.
In order to use the 2FA users would need to connect their phones over Bluetooth to a Chrome browser and verify their logins. Nevertheless, the Android phone accessing the 2FA security feature needs to be running on Android 7.0 or above.
Google announced the feature at its Cloud Next conference and mentioned that the feature now includes the same WebAuthn and FIDO APIs, used in company’s Titan Security Key.
Using 2FA ensures that miscreants can not use phishing to trick users into handing over their important credential. The FIDO security keys, similar to the Titan Security Key prevent users from being subjected to phishing tricks by requiring to plug in and tap their physical device.
Here how you can start using your Android phone as a physical 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 on your device and tap “two-step verification.”
- Step 4 – Select the option to add a security key, and choose your phone from the list of devices.
According to a report from 9t05Google, Pixel 3 users will be able to hold the volume key down during the process of authentication. While other Android phones will use an on-screen button.
Currently, the feature is only available for Android devices and works with Google services only, and not any other third-party app or sites. Other browsers besides Chrome are expected to gain this support in the future, but we’ll have to wait for that to happen.
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