Search giant Google on Monday unveiled a major update to its 12-year-old Authenticator app for Android and iOS with an account synchronization option that allows users to back up their time-based one-time passwords (TOTPs) to the cloud.
“This change means users are better protected from lockout and that services can rely on users retaining access, increasing both convenience and security,” Google’s Christiaan Brand said.
The update, which also brings a new icon to the two-factor authenticator (2FA) app, finally brings it in line with Apple’s iCloud Keychain and addresses a long-standing complaint that it’s tied to the device on which it’s installed, making it a hassle when switching between phones.
Search giant Google on Monday unveiled a major update to its 12-year-old Authenticator app for Android and iOS with an account synchronization option that allows users to back up their time-based one-time passwords (TOTPs) to the cloud.
“This change means users are better protected from lockout and that services can rely on users retaining access, increasing both convenience and security,” Google’s Christiaan Brand said.
The update, which also brings a new icon to the two-factor authenticator (2FA) app, finally brings it in line with Apple’s iCloud Keychain and addresses a long-standing complaint that it’s tied to the device on which it’s installed, making it a hassle when switching between phones.
The development comes days after Swiss privacy-focused company Proton, which surpassed 100 million active accounts last week, unveiled an end-to-end encrypted password manager solution called Proton Pass.
The open source and publicly auditable tool, which makes use of the bcrypt password hashing function and a hardened version of the Secure Remote Password (SRP) protocol for authentication, also comes with 2FA integration.
Source: https://thehackernews.com/
