Security News
Google has announced new tools, features and updates to improve users' online safety, help them evaluate content found online, and alert them if their Gmail identity appears on the dark web.Another helpful "Tool" for users is the newly introduced option of using passkeys - digital keys linked to a user account and a website or app - to authenticate to one's Google account.
Google announced today that all Gmail users in the United States will soon be able to use the dark web report security feature to discover if their email address has been found on the dark web. Once enabled, it will allow Gmail users to scan the dark web for their email addresses and take action to protect their data based on guidance provided by Google.
Google unveiled a slew of new privacy, safety, and security features today at its annual developer conference, Google I/O. The tech giant's latest initiatives are aimed at protecting its users from cyber threats, including phishing attacks and malicious websites, while providing more control and transparency over their personal data. Google has unveiled an update for its Android operating system that allows users to better control location sharing through apps installed on their devices.
A new Android subscription malware named Fleckpe has been unearthed on the Google Play Store, amassing more than 620,000 downloads in total since 2022. Kaspersky, which identified 11 apps on the official app storefront, said the malware masqueraded as legitimate photo editing apps, camera, and smartphone wallpaper packs.
Google Account holders can now use passkeys instead of passwords to log in, Google announced in a security blog post on Wednesday. The passkey is shared with Google websites and apps, but not beyond them.
A new Android subscription malware named 'Fleckpe' has been spotted on Google Play, the official Android app store, disguised as legitimate apps downloaded over 620,000 times. Kaspersky reveals that Fleckpe is the newest addition to the realm of malware that generates unauthorized charges by subscribing users to premium services, joining the ranks of other malicious Android malware, such as Jocker and Harly.
Google wants to take us further into a passwordless future by allowing personal account holders to login using passkeys rather than using passphrases and multifactor authentication. Passkeys are being adopted by the likes of Apple and Microsoft, which, like Google, have long been vocal about the need to do away with passwords entirely, replacing them and MFA with passkeys.
To be fair to Apple, the company has introduced various tricks and techniques to make AirTags harder for stalkers and criminals to exploit, given how given how easily the devices can be hidden in luggage, stuffed into the upholstery of a car, or squeezed into the gap under a bicycle saddle. With lots of similar devices already on the market, and Google said to be working on a product of its own to take advantage of the zillions of Bluetooth-enabled phones that are out and about running Google Android.
Logowatch Google plans to retire the padlock icon that appears in the Chrome status bar during a secure HTTPS web browsing session because the interface graphic has outlived its usefulness. Today's Chrome lock icon currently oversees a broad portfolio of functions.
Users can now create passkeys for their Google account, the company has announced on Wednesday. The passkey is stored on the enrolled device - local computer or mobile device - but can also be backed up to the iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager and synced to other devices.