The topic of replacing passwords with more secure solutions will continue for the foreseeable future, and new ideas are being proposed around the clock. If Google would collect even more information on its users, would they be able to create a strong and unique authentication protocol than can’t be abused? Sounds scary at first,but it’s worth giving some thought at least.
Google Data Collection is An Easy Solution
Consumers want easier solutions when it comes to replacing passwords, even if that means sacrificing security or privacy. Keeping this mind, it would be a convenient solution of we could authenticate through the platforms we use on a regular basis by letting them collect even more data about what makes us unique.
While this may seem to be a convenient way to reduce the risk of accounts being hacked in the long run, giving up that valuable and sensitive information should not be taken lightly. Google and other companies harvest a ton of user data already, which they use for advertising purposes and share with unknown third-party services. Giving them carte blanche to take this concept even further is not something anyone should agree to without thinking it over.
At the same time, this type of authentication would make life a lot more convenient, considering every user has their own habits that make them somewhat unique. The big question is which information Google would like to collect on our behalf, and how they will ensure the data is protected and kept safe from prying eyes.
There is a proposal by Google to build biometric measurements into the device and operating system , which would track how we speak, type, move, and go about our lives online. This would turn the devices we use into authentication models themselves, although this raises the question as to what would happen if the device is lost or stolen. Can others use it to authenticate with our credentials, and can we replace them if we wanted to?
One downside to using biometrics is how they can’t be swapped out for different sets, as they are linked to us as a person. Google wants to introduce a Trust Score through its Project Abacus, which can determine how much access the user should be granted to specific applications and services. On paper, this concept sounds very intriguing, but it remains to be seen if this is a viable solution in the real world.
Source: Sophos
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