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Can bad actors use your stolen phone PIN to change your Google account password? Sadly, yes, they can, and recent reports have explained how this is possible. Some people might be aware of this threat with iPhones already, but it extends beyond that ecosystem.
Cybersecurity experts are now letting netizens know that this threat is also present on Android devices. This calls for both iOS and Android users to find ways through which they can better protect their devices. These security threats can lead to the theft of user data and other vital information.
This isn’t an issue that should be overlooked by both the Android and iOS parties. But how can you protect your device from anyone getting access to your PIN? In this article, you will learn more about this threat and what you can do to protect your Google passwords from being stolen.
Protect your Google passwords by first protecting your phone PIN from getting stolen
If you have ever lost the password to your Google account, you notice that there is a second login option. This option is provided once you click on the forgot password link on the login page. Using this redirect link that helps users bypass and change their forgotten password.
To do this, the user is asked to unlock his device, since this is a way for Google to certify account ownership. For iPhone users, they move to input their phone PIN, hence unlocking their device. Android users, on the other hand, can unlock their devices using the fingerprint sensor instead of using their PIN, password, or pattern.
But, this password reset system gives bad actors an opening to access your Google accounts. All they need to do is steal your phone PIN or means of security unlock (password or pattern). Then they head over to your Google account page in settings and activate the password change process.
Once this is activated, Google will require you to unlock your device and they can do this with your stolen phone PIN, password, or pattern. They can then change your password and move to steal your vital information. With the new password, they can log their Google account into another device and gradually access other synced accounts.
To protect your Google account passwords, you need to protect your phone PIN. Don’t give everyone your phone PIN, and be sure to use a safe PIN combination. Google and Apple are yet to fix this security issue plaguing their users around the world.