Hasta La Gadget!

Two factor authentication is becoming an increasingly common part of keeping one’s accounts secure online, and Google has just updated its Authenticator app for iOS. Outwardly, version 2.0 brings a new look that matches the style recently seen in other Google apps like Google+, YouTube and Gmail. The app is also retina display and iPhone 5 ready now, however there’s still no native support for the iPad. It still functions the same way, cranking out a login code for users to access their accounts on demand, however there’s one quirk you’ll want to be aware of before pressing the update button. As Steve Streza points out on Twitter (and we experienced ourselves), the new version clears your account details and will need to be paired again before it works. It shouldn’t be too much of a hassle (you did tie your account to a good backup phone number, right?) to get things set up again, but since it’s not mentioned in the changelog consider this a friendly heads-up.

Update: Just so we’re all caught up, Google is aware of the issue and working on a fix. Just as important, it’s pulled the update from the App Store while it works out the kinks to ensure no one else loses their precious Authenticator tokens… even if just temporarily.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Apple, Google

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Source: iTunes, Steve Streza (Twitter)

Who knew that tighter security was all the rage these days? Following Dropbox, Google and virtually everyone else, LinkedIn has joined the trendy (if smart) ranks of those offering two-factor authentication as an option. Switch it on and you’ll have to enter a verification code delivered by SMS before you can log in with a device that LinkedIn doesn’t recognize. That’s all there is to the process, really, but it may be enough to prevent ne’er-do-wells from messing with your CV.

Filed under: Internet

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Via: The Next Web

Source: LinkedIn

Everyone else is doing it, so why not Microsoft, right? The company has been accused of playing the “me too” game in the past, but we’re not going to complain when the the end result is better security. As we learned from a leak last week, Redmond will begin enabling two-step verification for Microsoft accounts. The switch will get flipped for everyone over the next few days and, with email, Xbox Live and Skype (just to name a few) associated with the service formerly known as Live, it’s never been more important to keep it locked down. (Especially when others are learning this lesson the hard way.) The two-factor gateway is purely opt-in, except where it’s already been required: editing credit card information and accessing SkyDrive from a new computer. There’s even a dedicated authenticator app for Windows Phone 8, which works whether or not you’ve got an internet connection. There’s loads more detail at the source and you can check to see if the feature has been turned on for your account at the more coverage link. And if you can, we strongly suggest you turn it on. Like, now.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft

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Source: Official Microsoft Blog

2012 was not a great year for security. From the “epic hack” of Wired’s Mat Honan to the breach of Dropbox and the breakdown of barriers at Blizzard (not to mention countless smaller incidents), last year held frequent reminders that what you put online is never truly safe. Google has, in the wake of such public failings, began pushing its two-factor authentication with a pretty heavy hand. But even that system has its short comings, and Mountain View is looking for ways to shore up users’ accounts. In particular the web giant is exploring hardware authentication options and experimenting with a device called YubiKey — a USB-based token system. The research will be unveiled in a paper being published later this month in IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine, and includes preliminary work on a protocol for using a hardware device to unlock an online account. If carrying around and jacking in a USB key sounds too cumbersome, fear not. Google is also working on a wireless version of the platform that could be embedded in a cellphone or even a piece of jewelry like a ring. We may never ditch the password entirely, but we can hope.

Filed under: Misc, Google

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Source: Wired, IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine