29 July 2011, 12:17

Google brings 2-step verification to more than 150 countries

The additional verification code is generated by a smartphone app or sent to the user via SMS from Google Google has announced that 2-step verification for its online accounts is now available in 40 languages in more than 150 countries around the world. Introduced earlier this year, the optional security feature requires users to enter a verification code as well as their password when signing into a Google account to use services such as Gmail and Google Docs; the code can be generated on a user's smartphone via the Google Authenticator app or sent to a registered number via an SMS text message.

The extra layer of security is designed to protect users from having their passwords compromised and from identity theft. In a post on The Official Google Blog, Google Security Product Manager Nishit Shah says that "Email, social networking and other online accounts still get compromised today, but 2-step verification cuts those risks significantly."

More information about 2-step verification, including a short video, can be found on the Google Accounts Help web page.

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