Google Will Let Friends Help You Recover an Account (theverge.com) 13
Google is introducing new recovery tools that aim to make it less frustrating to regain access when you're locked out of your account. The Verge: Instead of answering security questions or entering a recovery email address, Google's new security features allow account holders to verify their identity using a linked mobile number, or trusted friends or family members.
The Recovery Contacts feature enables users to designate people to confirm their identity in order to regain access to accounts after getting hacked or losing their password or passkey. Google didn't specify how the verification process works, but says the feature provides "a simple and secure way to regain access when standard recovery methods fail." Recovery Contacts is available for eligible personal Google accounts, and can be found under the Security option in the account settings.
The Recovery Contacts feature enables users to designate people to confirm their identity in order to regain access to accounts after getting hacked or losing their password or passkey. Google didn't specify how the verification process works, but says the feature provides "a simple and secure way to regain access when standard recovery methods fail." Recovery Contacts is available for eligible personal Google accounts, and can be found under the Security option in the account settings.
Damn it (Score:5, Funny)
I'll be your friend (Score:2)
Just send me a fax of your drivers license and social security card, and so I can answer any security questions they have, to prove I know you, in what city was your second favorite pet born?
Re: (Score:2)
Aargh...
Are we only counting pets that were actually mine? Or do family pets count? I've no idea what i would have originally used.
If its the first its LA... or maybe I put L.A. or maybe Los Angeles or sometimes i misspell it Los Angelos... so maybe i did that.
If its the 2nd one, then its St. John's... but maybe I put in St Johns without the apostrophe and period? Does that matter? I might even have put in Saint Johns...
Oh... wait... does it want the city I lived in when the pet was born, or the city the pe
Re: Damn it (Score:2)
Friends are like toilet paper. It's good to have a few spare ones under the sink.
Phishing 2.0? (Score:3)
I can see the next shit storm coming...
Cool (Score:3)
A fun game for the whole class!
Re: (Score:2)
Or it could just be a vector to spread a single attack out onto an entire group of accounts.
Hack Charlie, and now you can 'recover' Alice's account. Repeat for all connections.
I'm assuming they thought of this when creating the feature, but I have low trust.
Re: (Score:2)
... on the other hand.
This is a very hard problem without de-anonymizing accounts. So, at least they are thinking of solutions.
Friends don't let friends use google. (Score:2)
lawyer (Score:2)
Just appoint a lawyer with power of attorney.
Finally (Score:2)
It's about time. I steer away from Google products as often as I can, due to Google's stance that if you lose access to your account, "Ooops, oh well, just create a new one!"