Your cell phone could be your password, literally

Android will allow you to authenticate and add security to your account with the device.

From now on, users with an Android operating system, versions 7.0 and up, will be able to use their phone as an additional layer of security in their accounts. This was announced by Google on Wednesday, during the Google Next, an event on cloud technologies that takes place this week in San Francisco, USA.

The new feature, which begins to be deployed as a beta version, allows your Android phone to become a portable authentication key that adds security to your accounts. This means that your phone can serve as a second step of access verification, without the need for messages or automatic calls with a security code.

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Activating the option is a way to avoid being a victim of attacks such as phishing, with which cybercriminals try to deceive users, simulate in appearance the design of a site and steal their access credentials and enter their accounts. Android authentication can be activated for personal Google accounts and also for corporate services.

According to Urs Holze, vice president of technical infrastructure at Google, the software security key simplifies the experience of advanced security and allows you to “protect accounts like never before” by reaching many more users with a simpler and more accessible second authentication factor .

How can he do it?
To activate the security key built into your phone, you will need a Smartphone with a version equal to or higher than Android 7.0, such as a Nokia 6, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, A8 or J2 pro, LG Q6, Sony Xperia L2, Motorola Z2 and Huawei P10 or Mate 9.

It will also require a computer with Chrome OS, MacOS X or Windows 10 enabled to use Bluetooth and with the Chrome browser installed.

Step by Step

1. Log in to your Google account on your Android phone and activate the Bluetooth feature.
2. On the computer, enter ‘navigate to your account’ and in the login options choose the two-step verification located on this link.
3. Click on “Add a security key”.
4. Choose your Android phone from the list of available devices.
5. As part of an additional recommendation, register a backup security key in your account and keep it in a safe place, so that you can log in to your account if you lose your phone.