Source: http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/01/26/facebook-adds-macos-compatible-usb-security-keys-for-cryptographic-account-security
Google’s new service will block all third-party apps and hacks. The new product will also replace the two-factor authentication tool.
The company is said to upgrade its tools in securing online accounts. Their primary goal is to shield users from cyber attacks and political hacks.
The service will be called the Advanced Protection Program, and it’ll be available next month. The program will have a set of features for online accounts. For example, on email, it’ll have a blocker for third-party apps so they can’t access your data.
The program will need a pair of physical security keys to replace the two-factor authentication tool. But they keys aren’t for every user of Gmail. Rather, they’re designed for individuals with increased security concerns. These would include politicians and corporate executives.
Last year, hackers accessed the Gmail messages of Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman. The hackers also illegally accessed the databases of the Democratic National Committee. After that attack, the director discussed the hack with the House Intelligence Committee.
In 2014, Google released a program for a USB Security Key. It was designed to enhance the security measures of two-factor authentication tool and several others. In two-factor authentication, you’ll need a second code to log onto your email.
The key enables users to create more powerful security measures for your accounts on Google. The service will require physical USB key on top of the second physical key. With these keys, you can have a greater protection than before.
The new service will get a regular update so it can have new features to protect users further.
For several times now, Google has enhanced its account security systems. This latest service comes as Google is advertising its document apps and email service to its business clients.
Last February, the company just added more controls to protect users against phishing attacks. These controls are designed for enterprise clients.
In 2012, the company started to send warnings to its users if they’ve been a target of attacks.
“In order to secure some of the details of our detection, we often send a batch of warnings to groups of at-risk users at the same time, and not necessarily in real-time. Additionally, we never indicate which government-backed attackers we think are responsible for the attempts; different users may be targeted by different attackers.” – Google
In January, Facebook announced that it’s going to support physical security keys. But the keys are only compatible with some web browsers and mobile devices. They’re an alternative option to the two-factor authentication that the company is currently offering.
You can purchase these security keys through various companies, such as Yubico. These keys rely on public-key cryptography so they can provide a more robust authentication method. You need to insert them into a USB port. They can work with websites that support the FIDO U2F protocol. These would include Gmail, Google Cloud, G Suite, Dropbox, Facebook, Dashlane and GitHub.
It’s not clear yet whether Google will provide its physical keys or the service is just an enhancement of its support for Yubico keys.
