While passwords are there for our own protection of course (unless you’re one of those that choose 12345 as their default), they can sometimes be a nuisance, especially if you’re forgetful. And there are certain times when you would rather bypass that since what you’re doing is low-risk. When Google finally implements Project Abacus, Android users may very well get rid of passwords and instead have another authentication system in place, one that may be easier but still secure for you.
At last year’s Google I/O conference, they presented Project Abacus, which is a system that analyzes how you type, what your voice sounds like, how you swipe, and other things that can be used to correctly identify that it is you that’s trying to open the app or do a transaction. But since then, we haven’t heard much about it, probably since they had nothing to really show for while they’re testing. But now, finally, sources are saying that developers will be able to use the authentication system by the end of the year.
There are still no details as to how it will work exactly, but what we know is that it will require a “Trust Score” from users based on typing and speech patterns, facial recognition (if the app supports it), and other things that can prove who you say you are. The score needed for you to open the app depends on the level of security that you would need. For example, your bank app will require a higher score than a game you’re playing. And if you score low, you will be required to use a password or your fingerprint (if you have a sensor) to open.
On paper, it sounds more complicated than actually just using a password, but they probably have figured it out by the time the project is set out into the wild. Let’s wait and see how the “Trust API” will look like when it’s supposedly released by the end of the year.
VIA: Phone Arena