4 ms·

Google is building password-free locking and unlocking into Chrome OS

43 points by ninthfrank07 13y ago

richardw 13y ago
Why not fingerprints?
- sciwiz 13y ago
  Because you leave them everywhere and, usually, can't be changed, if compromised.
- ivanca 13y ago
  It's an API; meaning you can integrate it with anything including fingerprint devices.
- awestroke 13y ago
  Fingerprints are usernames, not passwords
- prottmann 13y ago
  And how you change your password (fingerprint) ?
  - richardw 13y ago
    It works on my computer right now and I haven't needed to change my fingers yet, and I never leave them behind. The iPhone 5S doesn't seem to require weird dongles to work, it just uses fingers. Yes, it's not ultimate security but neither is requiring any of these other trinkets because any of them can be stolen.
    - exo762 13y ago
      You leave them behind on every surface you touch. Auth factor that needs to be stolen to be used by attacker is definitely more secure than thing that can be just copied.
      - richardw 13y ago
        Ok, if there's a way to be absolutely sure that every participating phone, ring, watch or badge is impossible to copy then this is awesome.
        somesay 13y ago
        You don't wanna get it, right? I just have to trail you in the train or in a coffee or something. Every flat surface you'll touch will have you fingerprint on ... a 5 minute YouTube tutorial is all I have to follow then ... And no, the iPhone is not more secure than any other scanner used before. And as soon as your fingerprints are leaked, there is no way for you to get new fingers, right? So it's okay for replacing the PIN unlock dialog, but that's all.
- sp332 13y ago
  Who says you can't use fingerprints? There will probably be an app for that.
contingencies 13y ago
Chrome OS can go investigate the dark smelly tube from which Google cloud crapped it forth. Taking a great OS from a great community like Linux, twisting and attacking it with Android and Chrome OS and layers of control designed by endless arrays of slimey lawyers while championing evils such as centralized data storage, consumption-centric hardware that dumbs down the populace and denies the joys of understanding creativity to the next generation is not laudable. Chrome OS deserves no space on HN. It is dead on arrival, yet another artifact of a culture the PR wet-dream-team labelled 'fun', 'cool', 'open' with colors and systematically designed crutches for stagnating social/personal development and isolating employees within the company: a myth sold artificially to a generation of young talent who could otherwise have done good in the world. SHAME ON YOU GOOGLE.
- snrip 13y ago
  After getting his hands on a Chromebook Pixel, the father of Linux said: THANK YOU GOOGLE With the web as a platform, Chrome deserves all the attention on HN. I do not even understand where your animosity comes from, when reading your post. None of your is even specific to Chrome OS. It would hold true for any fridge or toaster with embedded Linux. Yup, those are consumption-centric as well. In fact, I am a consumer too. Shoot me. As for attacking the Linux community: Sparked by Android and ChromeOS, Google has soared into the top 10 of Linux contributors and seems very committed to keep Linux healthy.
- ewoodrich 13y ago
  ...wow, overreacting a bit? I have an ARM chromebook as a second device and use Ubuntu with Crouton as needed, but tend to stay on the Chrome OS side for my primary use case. It certainly has an appeal, especially with battery life, for certain users/uses. (Check Amazon's best selling laptops and there tends to be several chromebooks there, as well).
- weland 13y ago
  If we ever end up in the same city, can I get you a beer?
  - 13y ago
choffee 13y ago
Soon they will have an almost perfect copy of the SunRay system...

43 points by ninthfrank07 13y ago

richardw 13y ago

Why not fingerprints?

sciwiz 13y ago
Because you leave them everywhere and, usually, can't be changed, if compromised.
ivanca 13y ago
It's an API; meaning you can integrate it with anything including fingerprint devices.
awestroke 13y ago
Fingerprints are usernames, not passwords
prottmann 13y ago
And how you change your password (fingerprint) ?
- richardw 13y ago
  It works on my computer right now and I haven't needed to change my fingers yet, and I never leave them behind. The iPhone 5S doesn't seem to require weird dongles to work, it just uses fingers. Yes, it's not ultimate security but neither is requiring any of these other trinkets because any of them can be stolen.
  - exo762 13y ago
    You leave them behind on every surface you touch. Auth factor that needs to be stolen to be used by attacker is definitely more secure than thing that can be just copied.
    - richardw 13y ago
      Ok, if there's a way to be absolutely sure that every participating phone, ring, watch or badge is impossible to copy then this is awesome.
      - somesay 13y ago
        You don't wanna get it, right? I just have to trail you in the train or in a coffee or something. Every flat surface you'll touch will have you fingerprint on ... a 5 minute YouTube tutorial is all I have to follow then ... And no, the iPhone is not more secure than any other scanner used before. And as soon as your fingerprints are leaked, there is no way for you to get new fingers, right? So it's okay for replacing the PIN unlock dialog, but that's all.
sp332 13y ago
Who says you can't use fingerprints? There will probably be an app for that.

contingencies 13y ago

Chrome OS can go investigate the dark smelly tube from which Google cloud crapped it forth. Taking a great OS from a great community like Linux, twisting and attacking it with Android and Chrome OS and layers of control designed by endless arrays of slimey lawyers while championing evils such as centralized data storage, consumption-centric hardware that dumbs down the populace and denies the joys of understanding creativity to the next generation is not laudable. Chrome OS deserves no space on HN. It is dead on arrival, yet another artifact of a culture the PR wet-dream-team labelled 'fun', 'cool', 'open' with colors and systematically designed crutches for stagnating social/personal development and isolating employees within the company: a myth sold artificially to a generation of young talent who could otherwise have done good in the world. SHAME ON YOU GOOGLE.

snrip 13y ago
After getting his hands on a Chromebook Pixel, the father of Linux said: THANK YOU GOOGLE With the web as a platform, Chrome deserves all the attention on HN. I do not even understand where your animosity comes from, when reading your post. None of your is even specific to Chrome OS. It would hold true for any fridge or toaster with embedded Linux. Yup, those are consumption-centric as well. In fact, I am a consumer too. Shoot me. As for attacking the Linux community: Sparked by Android and ChromeOS, Google has soared into the top 10 of Linux contributors and seems very committed to keep Linux healthy.
ewoodrich 13y ago
...wow, overreacting a bit? I have an ARM chromebook as a second device and use Ubuntu with Crouton as needed, but tend to stay on the Chrome OS side for my primary use case. It certainly has an appeal, especially with battery life, for certain users/uses. (Check Amazon's best selling laptops and there tends to be several chromebooks there, as well).
weland 13y ago
If we ever end up in the same city, can I get you a beer?
- 13y ago

choffee 13y ago

Soon they will have an almost perfect copy of the SunRay system...