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By now, most people know passkeys offer a better way to protect their online credentials than passwords. Nearly every tech company of note, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, supports the protocol. Moreover, despite a slow start, adoption has dramatically increased in the last year, with, for instance, password manager Dashlane recently noting a 400% increase in use since the beginning of 2024. Still, not everyone knows they dont need to rely on passwords to protect their online identity, and transferring your passkeys between platforms isnt as easy as it should be. Thats why the FIDO Alliance, the coalition of organizations behind the technology, is working to make it easier to do just that. On Tuesday, the group published draft specifications for the Credential Exchange Protocol (CXP) and Credential Exchange Format (CXF), two standards that, once adopted by the industry, will allow you to safely and seamlessly move all your passkeys and passwords between different apps and platforms. With some of the biggest names in the industry collaborating on the effort (including Apple, Google, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane, to name a few), theres a very good chance were looking at a future where your current password manager particularly if you use one of the first-party ones offered by Apple or Google wont be the reason you cant switch platforms. And thats a very good thing. It is critical that users can choose the credential management platform they prefer, and switch credential providers securely and without burden, the FIDO Alliance said. Until now, there has been no standard for the secure movement of credentials, and often the movement of passwords or other credentials has been done in the clear. The CXP and CXF standards arent ready for prime time just yet. The FIDO Alliance plans to collect feedback before it publishes the final set of specifications and gives its members the go-ahead to implement the technology.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/youll-soon-be-able-to-safely-and-easily-move-your-passkeys-between-password-managers-161025573.html?src=rss
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Google is rolling out a slew of updates for Pixel watches, smartphones and tablets. In many cases, their predecessors are also getting the new features, such as Night Sight for Instagram available on all Pixel 6 or newer devices other than the A series. The tool allows you to take photos directly on Instagram without worrying about them coming out dark. This could be ideal if you're someone who likes taking photos at concerts or parties without worrying about a bright flash going off. Other updates available for Pixel 6 or newer devices include astrophotography through Night Sight and theft protection. Now globally available, theft protection one of the most expansive updates and actually applies to all Android 10 or newer devices (Android 15 is out today) not just Pixel. Then, later this year, Google will release Identity Check, a feature that requires biometric authentication to access actions like changing your PIN and disabling theft protection. The new feature includes tools like the AI-powered Theft Detection Lock, which uses on-device machine learning to detect possible attempts to steal your device and will automatically lock it if so. Additional features include Remote Lock, which lets you seal your device with just a verified phone number, and Offline Device Lock. You can watch a full overview of theft protection on Android's YouTube page. Google released its latest lineup in August: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro and some of its newest features are exclusive to it. Such is the case for a Gemini extension for screenshots, a tool that lets you "Hey Google" your way to the exact image you're looking for. For example, you can say, "Hey Google, use Screenshots to show to find the red shirt I saved." Plus, you can now use a waterproof case to capture improved images and videos under the sea. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-pixel-updates-include-ai-powered-theft-protection-160042706.html?src=rss
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Its been a bit of a wait for those who snapped up a new Pixel phone immediately, but Google is now starting to roll out Android 15 across eligible devices. While Google released the source code for the open source variant last month, the retail iteration of the mobile operating system is starting to hit phones and tablets. As ever, Pixel devices are the first to get access to Android 15. The Pixel 9 lineup debuted in August and although Google typically deploys a major OS update alongside its latest flagship phones, that wasnt the case this time. Android 15 will be available on eligible devices from other manufacturers in the coming months, but some phone and tablet makers will be using forked versions of the source code. Security and privacy are major focus points for Android 15. Google says Theft Detection Lock employs AI to help protect your data. Extra layers of authentication for the likes of SIM removal and switching off Find My Device should help secure your device too. You'll be able to set up a private space in Android 15 where sensitive apps (and any others you want to chuck in there) are all but invisible to others. Other new features include an easy way to pin and unpin the taskbar on foldables and tablets for more customizable layouts and app access. An app pairing option is said to benefit multitasking. You'll be able to save combinations of apps as app icons on the home screen and open them with a tap, which should make moving files between, say, Google Drive and Gmail a cinch. Google is opening up more camera options to third-party apps, such as more granular control over the flash. You'll be able to log into apps that use passkeys with a single tap. And, perhaps most significantly of all for some folks, carrier messaging apps will be able to support messaging via satellite when you're out of range of cell and Wi-Fi networks. In addition, Google is releasing a Pixel drop today, which includes support for Theft Detection Lock on devices running Android 10 and later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-15-is-starting-to-roll-out-on-pixel-devices-160039591.html?src=rss
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