Google‘s new security program is designed to thwart even the most persistent hackers from accessing your account. The new service is call The Advanced Protection Program,
The service is aimed at is “high-risk” users such as movies, stars, campaign staffers, pro athletes, journalists, business leaders, and people in abusive relationships looking for safety.
Now anyone with a personal Google account can enroll into the Advanced Protection program, even us those who are stars.
“We took this unusual step because there is an overlooked minority of our users that are at particularly high risk of targeted online attacks,” the company said in a blog post.
There is catch, the new system requires trading in some convenience for the extra security.
For instance, the new program requires users to also sign in with a physical security key. You must purchase two security keys, one with Bluetooth functionality, the other with USB access. Google’s sign-up page even recommends which keys to buy. Just use the the keys to generate encrypted codes that can be sent to Google to unlock account access.
The security measure is designed to address phishing attacks that try to trick users into giving up their passwords.
Do note Apple Mail, Contacts, and Calendar apps do not currently support Security Keys and will not be able to access your Google data. Instead, you can use the Gmail, Inbox, or Google calendar apps on iOS.
