Latest news with #Passkey
The Star
08-06-2025
- The Star
Google advises users to stop using passwords, make these changes as latest hacking scams grow
Google reminds users that it will never call you or email you about account issues or to change your password. — Pixabay Google users are once again being advised to make major changes to how they access their account as ongoing scams become more advanced. According to Forbes, Google suggests users remove password-only access to their accounts by adding a passkey or stronger forms of two-factor authentication. The latest warning comes after Instagram boss Adam Mosseri revealed he was recently the target of a sophisticated scam. The scam involved a phone call from someone claiming to be with Google about his account being compromised. An email, from what appeared to be a legitimate Gmail address soon followed, advising Mosseri to change his password. Google eventually found the source of the attack and suspended the accounts connected to it. However, the ordeal serves as a reminder of steps Google says its users need to take to protect themselves as the ongoing attacks are becoming harder to decipher. Google reminds users that it will never call you or email you about account issues or to change your password. If you receive a phone call or email from someone claiming to be from Google about those issues, it is a scam. The tech giant suggests that users remove password-only access to their account and begin using a Passkey. A Passkey allows users to sign in using a physical device like your phone by using your fingerprint, face scan, or phone screen lock. Users should also be using two-factor authentication, but not one that involves SMS text messages or email as they can be intercepted. Instead, using the Passkey or an authentication app is recommended at a minimum. Google again reminds users that it will never call or email you about changing a password or to resolve account issues. It will also never ask for your password, or to use a one-time password for account access. If you receive a message claiming to be from Google and have concerns about the legitimacy, you can contact Google through several publicly available options. – News Service
India Today
02-05-2025
- India Today
Microsoft eliminates passwords for new accounts, says you should use something better
Microsoft has announced that new Microsoft accounts will no longer require passwords. Instead, the company is nudging them to use Passkeys. The idea is that users shift completely towards a passwordless world and use modern, secure alternatives like Passkeys, facial recognition, fingerprint authentication, or security keys. Microsoft says it has been wanting to do this for nearly a decade. The company first began exploring passwordless sign-ins with the introduction of Windows Hello back in 2015. Since then, it has steadily added support for more secure methods of authentication. According to the company, today, over 99 per cent of its users who log into Windows with a Microsoft account do not use passwords but instead choose other options like biometrics or why is Microsoft going passwordless?The answer lies in both security and usability. Traditional passwords are vulnerable to phishing, brute-force attacks, and human error. Microsoft even highlights this vulnerability by reporting that it currently detects around 7,000 password-based cyber-attacks every second—more than double the rate seen in 2023. So as cybercriminals evolve their tactics, cracking a password has become an easy job to bypass digital security. Hence, instead of passwords, the company now wants users to use passkeys which are theoretically more is a Passkey?Unlike passwords, Passkeys are said to be significantly more secure and user-friendly for authentication. It's a standards-based form of authentication developed in partnership with the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance. FIDO designed the Passkeys to replace passwords for online sign-ins and companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google are part of this alliance. At the heart of it, Passkeys leverage cryptographic keys, which are typically stored securely on a user's device (like a phone or computer) and linked to their biometric data (fingerprint, face ID) or a device PIN. So, given their nature of biometric authentication—passkeys can't be reused by someone else, stolen in a data breach, or subject to a phishing attack. It also eliminates the need to remember complex strings of characters which users need to create for making them virtually unhackable. According to Microsoft, a user signing in with Passkeys is three times more successful – to log in – than someone using a password, with a success rate of 98 per cent compared to just 32 per cent for the latter. Not only that, but sign-ins using Passkeys are also eight times faster. 'According to the FIDO Alliance, more than 15 billion user accounts can now sign in using Passkeys instead of passwords. But we need billions more to make every sign-in passwordless,' says Microsoft. Meanwhile, to encourage this shift from passwords to Passkeys, Microsoft has also rolled out a new sign-in interface that prioritises passwordless options. The company says this new design streamlines the process and highlights the most secure and convenient methods first. And going forward, any newly created Microsoft account will be "passwordless by default." That means Microsoft will not ask the new users to create or remember a password. Instead, users will be given the option to choose from secure sign-in options right from the start. Microsoft also highlights that in this shift it is also not leaving out the existing users. The company is giving the users option delete their passwords if they wish.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tap Payments gains retail payment services licence in UAE
Tap Payments has secured a retail payment services licence from the Central Bank of the UAE, marking the full regulatory approval across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This authorisation allows Tap Payments to operate within the regulatory frameworks of all six GCC nations, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the UAE. Tap Payments UAE managing director Ahmad Alwazzan added: 'Joining the UAE's exclusive group of licenced payment providers marks a significant milestone for us. This licence enhances our ability to offer businesses in the UAE market-leading, secure, and efficient payment products while ensuring full compliance with local regulations.' Tap Payments CEO and co-founder Ali Abulhasan stated: 'This licence is a pivotal step in our mission to unify and simplify payments across the region. With regulatory approvals in every GCC market, we are uniquely positioned to help businesses scale locally and expand across borders, while operating within a trusted, fully compliant framework.' The company, established by Abulhasan in 2014, offers payment solutions that facilitate transactions for businesses within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Tap Payments' services are designed to support cross-border commerce and provide against fraudulent activities. Its clientele spans various industries, which includes UAE-based companies such as flydubai, Wego, Insurance Market, Prypco, and Lulu Hypermarkets, as well as regional players like Talabat, Careem, Trendyol, Marks & Spencer, BYD Auto, Tim Hortons, and TikTok. In November 2024, the company collaborated with Mastercard to launch a Click to Pay with Payment Passkey service, aimed at enhancing the eCommerce experience. The rollout commenced in the UAE, with plans to gradually extend it to additional markets across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa. "Tap Payments gains retail payment services licence in UAE " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
