Tag: authenticator
Google Plans To Add End-To-End Encryption To Authenticator
Security researchers Mysk highlighted some of these risks in a post on Twitter, noting that “if there’s ever a data breach or if someone obtains access to your Google Account, all of your 2FA secrets would be compromised.” They added that Google could potentially use the information linked to your accounts to serve personalized ads and also advised users not to use the syncing feature until it supports E2EE. Brand pushed back against the criticism, stating that while Google encrypts “data in transit, and at rest, across our products, including in Google Authenticator,” applying E2EE comes at the “cost of enabling users to get locked out of their own data without recovery.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Google’s Authenticator App Now Lets You Sync 2FA Codes Across Devices
Google Authenticator Can Now Sync 2FA Codes To the Cloud
Some users might be wary of syncing their sensitive codes with Google’s cloud — even if they did originate from a Google product. But Christiaan Brand, a group product manager at Google, asserts it’s in the pursuit of convenience without sacrificing security. “We released Google Authenticator in 2010 as a free and easy way for sites to add ‘something you have’ 2FA that bolsters user security when signing in,” Brand wrote in the blog post announcing today’s change. “With this update we’re rolling out a solution to this problem, making one time codes more durable by storing them safely in users’ Google Account.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Google Authenticator finally, mercifully adds account syncing for two-factor codes
Google Authenticator is adding a long-standing customer request: you can now sync your two-factor authentication codes to your Google account. So when you set up a new phone and log in to your account, Authenticator will be ready to go without requiring its own setup process. This also means that if you lose your phone or it’s stolen, getting back into your accounts from another device will be less of a nerve-racking ordeal.
Cloud syncing has become relatively common across other two-factor tools like Authy, but Google really dragged its feet bringing it to Authenticator, which launched all the way back in 2010.
“One major piece of feedback we’ve heard from users over the years was the complexity in dealing with lost or stolen devices…
Google Authenticator finally syncs one-time codes in the cloud
Your Google Authenticator one-time codes are no longer trapped if you lose the device that stores them. An update to Authenticator for Android and iOS now stores backups of codes in your Google account. You won’t have to reauthorize all your linked apps (or scan a QR code) just because you got a new phone.
Once you have the latest version of the app, you only have to follow prompts to sign into Google and enable syncing. Of course, you’ll also want to be sure your Google account is secure to prevent intruders from misusing Authenticator.
Google is still pushing for password-free logins that use technology like passkeys. However, it also acknowledges that people still rely on one-time codes. The Authenticator update promises to reduce some of the headaches of using those codes until you’re ready and able to move to another system. This might also encourage the use of two-factor authentication if you were previously afraid of what would happen if your phone was lost or stolen.
This isn’t a novel concept. Apps like Microsoft Authenticator also have cloud backups. However, it’s no secret that Google’s tool is popular. Cloud syncing should make a tangible difference, particularly when many apps can use Authenticator as an alternative to the conventional password.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-authenticator-finally-syncs-one-time-codes-in-the-cloud-185207290.html?src=rss
Google Authenticator Now Supports Backing Up 2FA Codes Using Google Account
With Google Account support, one-time passwords can be saved in the cloud, so if you lose the device with your Google Authenticator app installed, you won’t lose access to all of your authentication codes. Prior to the integration of Google Account support, all codes in the Google Authenticator app were stored on device, which is problematic when a device is lost.
Google says with one-time passwords available in a Google Account, users are “better protected from lockout,” increasing convenience and security. Google Account integration for Google Authenticator is available on both iOS and Android devices. Adding Google Account support will require signing into the account in the Google Authenticator app, and once that is done, codes will be automatically backed up and restored on any new device where you sign in to your Google Account.
The latest version of the app is required, and on iPhone and iPad, it can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
This article, “Google Authenticator Now Supports Backing Up 2FA Codes Using Google Account” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Google Authenticator Adds Cloud Sync for Your 2FA Codes
Google Authenticator used to be a popular option for using two-factor authentication codes on mobile devices, but apps like Authy and 1Password are much better options now. Google is trying to change that by fixing Authenticator’s primary limitation.
Read This Article on How-To Geek ›
Microsoft Authenticator drops support for Apple Watch
Microsoft Authenticator is ending support for the Apple Watch. Unfortunately, this means you’ll no longer be able to conveniently log in to your connected accounts using just the wearable, as reported earlier by MacRumors.
While the app’s 6.7.3 iOS update states that it “removes Microsoft Authenticator from Apple Watch,” it also notes that you can still mirror any Microsoft Authenticator notifications you receive on your iPhone to your Apple Watch.
Microsoft first introduced Authenticator for the Apple Watch in 2018, and it’s proven useful for anyone looking to streamline their multi-factor authentication (MFA) sign-ins. Instead of having to open the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone to verify your identity, you could instead…
Microsoft Authenticator Discontinues Apple Watch App
“This update removes Microsoft Authenticator from Apple Watch,” reads the release notes for the update. Microsoft notes that in the Apple Watch’s notification settings, you can still choose to mirror iPhone alerts from the app to your Apple Watch.
Primarily used for signing into Microsoft accounts with two-step verification enabled, the Microsoft Authenticator for iOS gained an Apple Watch companion app in 2018. Microsoft previously announced that the Apple Watch app would be discontinued in early 2023.
The Microsoft Authenticator app for Apple Watch joins a long list of third-party watchOS apps that have been discontinued over the last few years, either because of perceived redundancy or lack of user uptake. Other notable Apple Watch apps that have been discontinued include Twitter, Instagram, Target, Trello, Slack, Hulu, and Uber.
(Thanks, Aaron!)
This article, “Microsoft Authenticator Discontinues Apple Watch App” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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