Google is replacing Gmail’s SMS authentication with QR codes
Google is planning to move away from sending six-digit authentication codes through SMS messages as a two-factor authentication tool for Gmail, Forbes reports. Instead, over the next few months, QR codes will be rolled out as a replacement for SMS codes in an attempt to “reduce the impact of rampant, global SMS abuse,” Gmail spokesperson Ross Richendrfer told Forbes. The new approach aims to eliminate security risks associated with phone carriers and unwanted SIM swapping.
- By shifting from SMS-based authentication to QR code scanning, Google is taking a proactive step to mitigate the vulnerabilities introduced by phone carriers in the existing system, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing user security.
- Will this change also prompt other email providers to reconsider their own SMS-based authentication methods, potentially leading to a wider industry shift towards more secure and reliable verification processes?