New Data Protection Tools

Announced on the Data Privacy Day by CNN:

Unsurprisingly, the tech companies would prefer to see these problems solved through tools, not rules. Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) touted the new “two-step verification” option it will be rolling out to all accounts within the next few weeks.

The new opt-in setting gives users a second security wall. When someone logs into a Google account for first time from a new computer, a code will be sent to the phone (typically a mobile, but a landline will also work) associated with the account. That code is required for access — a step intended to keep out intruders who have obtained the account’s password.

Facebook also launched new data-protection tools this week. The biggest was a “safe browsing option” that integrates the HTTPS protocol for secure connections. That technical tweak will help solve a gaping hole that let hijackers grab control of Facebook accounts accessed through public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Read more from full article: Your private data pays for ‘free’ Facebook and Google

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