Google is going to change how you access Gmail — Details

Google is planning a major security update for approximately 1.8 billion Gmail users that will affect the way they sign in to their email. According to the report, the company will gradually abandon the current method of identity verification via SMS. Over the next few months, it will be replaced by technology using QR codes, reports The Independent. 

What are the changes for?

As a Google representative explains, the purpose of these changes is to counteract cases of global SMS abuse and improve fraud protection. The developers believe that attackers often try to bypass the two-step verification, particularly through phishing attacks, for example, tricking users into revealing six-digit SMS codes by pretending to be from Google or a mobile operator.

"We want to move away from sending SMS messages for authentication. Over the next few months, we will be reimagining how we verify phone numbers. Specifically, instead of entering your number and receiving a six-digit code, you’ll see a QR code being displayed, which you need to scan with the camera app on your phone,"  said Ross Richendrfer, Google's security and privacy head.

Two-step verification has become mandatory for all Gmail users, but Google recognizes that SMS messages are not always reliable. In addition to phishing activities, in some cases, people may lose access to the device to which the code is sent. So the company strives to make the identification process even more secure.

"SMS codes are a source of heightened risk for users. We’re pleased to introduce an innovative new approach to shrink the surface area for attackers and keep users safer from malicious activity," Richendrfer stressed.

Official confirmation from Google on the timing of the full transition to the new system is still pending, but it is known that the implementation will begin in the coming months.

We also wrote that Google has revealed the cost of using the new Veo 2 video generator. Users will pay 50 cents for one minute of video created with artificial intelligence.

Previously, Google brought its useful search feature from Android to iPhone. Lens is now available in the Google app and the Chrome browser on iOS.