Google records 50% drop in account breaches with 2-step verification

Google has announced the expansion of its two-step verification (2SV) process for log-ins to enhance account security.

The expansion came after Google’s newly introduced two-step verification initiative saw a 50 percent drop in account breaches for 150million Gmail and 2million YouTube creator accounts under the 2SV initiative.

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The 2SV introduces the use of mobile phones to confirm a user’s identity every time a user accesses his/her Google account from a different device.

Aligning with this year’s global Safer Internet Day theme ‘Together for a better Internet’, Google said it is actively working on new technologies that will provide a secured, seamless sign-in experience and eliminate reliance on passwords that have turned out to be a major cause for data breaches and phishing attempts; as users often find passwords hard to remember and have to update them regularly.

The Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager of Nigeria, Dawn Dimowo, said the tech giant does not just plug security holes, but works to eliminate entire classes of threat for people who depend on its services.

Dimowo further noted that Google provides tools like Security Checkup, which provides users with practical tips on how to increase the security of their Google Account. “In 2021, Google accelerated its effort to eliminate password threats by starting to auto-enroll users in 2SV, providing people with an additional layer of security when cybercriminals attempt to hack into their accounts. Through the initiative, more than a 1.5billion security checks were done.”