Google Announces Password-Killer Tool for Chrome and Android

Google announces password-killer tool for chrome and Android and wider support for passkeys.

Google Announces Password-Killer Tool for Chrome and Android

Google Announces Password-Killer Tool for Chrome and Android

Both Google chrome and android are now getting support for passkeys which is a new security tool and feature crafted to replace traditional passwords, the company recently revealed.

Google in a blog post said that users will now be able to not only create but make use of passkeys on android devices which surely will be securely synchronized via the Google password manager. Also, on the other hand, developers will be able to integrate passkey support for their various websites for end-users that are using chrome via the WebAuthn API on android and on other supported platforms.

The Advantages of Passkeys

Those users who are excited to try out this new feature will have to enroll in the Google Play services beta and make use of chrome Canary. Google further said that the general availability of the feature on stable channels is expected in the latter parts of this year, meaning that users will not have to wait for a longer period of time.

Apple in the summer of 2021 first confirmed passkeys and was then described by the company as a “new way to make the web a safer place,” as recycled and weak passwords are the main reasons for data breaches.

Passkeys make use of “powerful cryptographic techniques and the biometrics built into the device” in a bid to keep accounts safe, Adler explained, with users only needing to use FaceID or TouchID to authenticate a new web app, mobile app, or even services in order to create a passkey.

Apple’s VP for Internet Technologies Take on the Recent Development

Apple’s VP for internet technologies, Darin Adler when presenting the security key feature to the world at WWDC 2022, described passkeys as a “next-gen credential that’s more secure, easier to use, and aims to replace passwords for good”.

Google however seems to be all good with this assessment with its own announcement describing it as a “significantly safer replacement for passwords and other perishable authentication factors”.

Passkeys Can’t Be Reused and They Don’t Leak In Server Breaches

The company also cited that passkeys can’t be reused, and don’t leak in server breaches, and protect users from phishing attacks. They are built on industry standards, work across various operating systems and browser ecosystems, and can also be used for both websites, and apps.

The Next Milestone for Google in This Process Is an API for Native Android Apps

The next milestone for Google in this process is an API for native Android apps, which will be coming later this year. Passkeys created via the web API “will work seamlessly” with apps that are affiliated with the same domain, the company added, thus suggesting that this move is all part of a larger transition. The native API will give apps a unified medium to allow users in selecting between a passkey and a saved password.

Google concluded that “seamless, familiar UX for both passwords and passkeys helps users and developers gradually transition to passkeys.”

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