THE latest update to the hugely popular Google Chrome web browser has an interesting new feature – that could kill off passwords for good.
It features a revolutionary technology that lets you log into websites using fingerprint scanners, USB keys, or even your face.A new Google Chrome feature lets you log into websites using biometric tech – like fingerprint scanners
A new Google Chrome feature lets you log into websites using biometric tech – like fingerprint scanners
Back in April, Google announced that the Chrome 67 update would include support for WebAuthn.
That update is now available for everyone, and it’s a big deal.
WebAuthn is short for Web Authentication, and it lets users sign into web pages (like your favourite forum or social media site) without entering a password.
It means you won’t have to remember long and complicated passwords for loads of different sites.
Some smartphones and laptops have been offering this technology for a while, but it typically only grants access to the device itself.
But now you’ll be able to use the built-in tech on those devices to make your way into websites, too.
Sadly, there’s a bit of bad news – websites won’t get this functionality automatically.
Websites will have to add support for WebAuthn before your Chrome browser will let you log in using your face or thumbs.
But now that the technology is available on one of the most popular web browser’s globally, it’s likely that we’ll see more companies offering the tech.
There have been doubts over the safety of passwords for years.
The general advice is to choose very complex passwords filled with case-sensitive letters, numbers and symbols.
And experts tend to advise users to have a different password for every single service they use.
That means you end up having to remember a slew of confusing passwords, or settle for simple easy-to-hack alternatives.
Assigning your face or fingerprint to an account gives an additional layer of security that can thwart hackers.
And it means you don’t have to remember any complicated password combinations.
We recently revealed the 10 most common eight-character passwords for 2017.
The most popular was “12345678”, followed by “password” and “iloveyou”.
Other popular password trends included “password walking”, which involves choosing letters and numbers that are near each other on the keyboard.
And pop culture references, brands and football teams were also very common choices for passwords.
This makes it exceptionally easy for hackers to break into your account.
Do you feel safer using passwords or fingerprint scanners? Let us know in the comments!
source:-.thesun
