Google Tests Stricter Security for Android Payments
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Google is testing a new security feature for Android's Google Wallet that may require users to verify their identity with a fingerprint or PIN before every contactless payment. This change aims to enhance security, similar to Apple's system, but could reduce convenience. Details on its implementation and availability are still pending.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Google is testing a new security feature for Android Google Wallet requiring identity verification for payments.
- The proposed change would mandate fingerprint or PIN confirmation before each contactless transaction.
- This aims to enhance security by preventing unauthorized card use on unlocked devices.
- The new system is intended to align Android's payment security with Apple's existing protocols.
- Details regarding mandatory use, user control, and existing grace periods remain unconfirmed.
- The feature is currently in testing and may be altered or canceled by Google.
Google is reportedly testing a new security measure for its Google Wallet app on Android devices that could require users to re-authenticate their identity before each contactless payment. This potential change, noted by Android Authority and reported by Spider'sWeb, aims to enhance payment security by mirroring Apple's system, where users must verify themselves with Face ID, Touch ID, or a PIN before a transaction.
Currently, Android users can make purchases for up to three minutes after unlocking their phone without repeated identity verification, and sometimes even with the screen locked for small amounts. The new setting, "Require additional verification," found in a test version of Google Wallet, suggests this convenience might be replaced by a mandatory fingerprint or PIN check for every transaction.
The primary goal of this proposed change is to prevent unauthorized use of linked bank cards, even if a phone is unlocked by someone other than the owner. However, details about its implementation remain unclear. It is unknown if the verification will be mandatory for all users, if it can be toggled on or off, or if the existing three-minute grace period will still apply.
Google has not yet provided official details on how the feature will function or if it will be implemented in the final version. If rolled out, Android users would need to adapt to an extra step for payments, trading some convenience for increased security. This development follows a previous report from Israel's National Cyber Directorate warning about fraudulent calls impersonating Google.