Google is replacing Gmail’s SMS authentication with QR codes
1 min read
Summary
Security measures are constantly in flux in the digital arena as software makers bid to stay one step ahead of hackers and fraudsters.
Google has announced that it will no longer send six-digit SMS codes as a two-factor authentication tool for Gmail.
This tool is used by the tech giant to verify that it is dealing with the same person who created or owns a Gmail account and serves as a deterrent against criminals setting up multiple accounts.
The move is largely to combat the rise in SMS abuse on a global scale and will see the introduction of QR codes as a replacement tool.
The new measure will eliminate the risk of users being tricked into sharing codes since they will no longer exist and it takes security risks introduced by phone carriers, including unwanted SIM swapping, out of the equation entirely.