Google announced on Tuesday that it would offer stronger online security for “high risk” users who may be frequent targets of online attacks. The company said anyone with a personal Google account can enroll in the new “advanced protection,” while noting that it will require users to “trade off a bit of convenience” for extra security. Motherboard reports: The main advantage in terms of security is the need for a key or token to log in as the second factor, instead of a code sent via SMS or via app. This is much better because there’s no way for hackers to steal or phish this key from afar (there have been isolated incidents of hackers using social engineering to gain access to someone’s cell phone number by getting the provider to issue a new SIM card, for instance). Thanks to these new features, Gmail is now the most secure email provider available on the internet if you are worried about hackers breaking into your private correspondence. “This is a major step in the right direction in offering the same kind of protection available to high-profile figures to everyday people,” Kenneth White, a Washington D.C. based security consultant to federal agencies, told Motherboard. “They have really thought this through, and while it may not make sense for everyone, for those that need it, it’s a much needed option.”

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Source: Slashdot – ‘Google Just Made Gmail the Most Secure Email Provider on the Planet’