An update to Chrome for Android makes the mobile browser another important security option for Google users whose accounts rely on two-factor authentication. Google’s Chrome for Android would be added as a passkey option for Google Accounts protected by two-factor authentication.
9to5Google reports that the beta version of Chrome 93 for Android now notifies users if someone tries to sign in to the same Google Account on a nearby device. However, the change was not mentioned in Google’s latest beta announcement or in the Chromium blog post, which is supposed to provide more information about new browser features.
An indicator in the Chrome browser indicates that Google is using wired Bluetooth Low Energy (CABLE) to enable this feature. He also said that Chrome Sync must be enabled on both devices and that the feature is available through Chrome for macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, and Android. (Since iOS is a notable omission from the list of supported platforms.)
This isn’t the first time the company has tried to make it easier to protect Google Accounts with two-factor authentication. It offers Titan Security Key as a hardware authentication option, allows newer Android smartphones to act as a security key, and supports the use of time-based verification codes through the cross-platform Google Authenticator app.
Adding another option probably won’t hurt, however, and 9to5Google notes that Chrome for Android’s ability to act as a security key is different from Android’s built-in functionality. The basic process is the same: Google sends a notification to a user’s phone when someone tries to sign in to their account on a nearby device, but the process is a little different.
The ability to use Chrome for Android as a security key appears to have been first introduced with Chrome 93 for Android. 9to5Google reports that it now supports Chrome 92 for macOS. The feature is likely to roll out over time to other platforms (and users on those platforms).
