Tag Archive for: Convenience

Google Wallet adds ‘Verification settings’ to balance security and convenience

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What you need to know

  • Google Wallet has added a new verification settings menu for Android devices.
  • This setting allows users to decide whether or not they need to be verified before paying for a ticket on public transport.
  • This will help to make Google Wallet even more secure.

The ability to store card details, transit passes, boarding passes, and contactless payments, means Google Wallet is a convenient way to save time.  Now, Google is working hard to make Wallet even more secure and user-friendly by introducing a new ‘Verification settings’ menu.

The new addition, as spotted by 9to5 Google, lets users decide whether or not verification is required, specifically when paying for a transit ticket. Under “Wallet settings” is the new “Security” heading, under which “Verification settings” are listed. When selected, the user can “choose if you’ll need to verify it’s you when using your items stored in Wallet.” 

At the moment, the only available option here is “Transit payments.” When the “verification required” toggle is on, Wallet will require “verification for paying for bus, metro, and more with a credit or debit card.” This means the usual options for a device include a PIN or fingerprint scan, for example.  

Screenshots of the new verification settings menu in Google Wallet

(Image credit: Phone Arena)

If a user already has a transit pass stored in Wallet, the toggle will be switched on by default. The wallet will then require verification before paying with their bank card. If no transit pass is stored, this option will be automatically turned off. 

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Digital Platforms Empower Investors through Control, Convenience and Confidence

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The pandemic may have changed how we use technology, and ultimately how we manage our finances.

Throughout the pandemic, people increasingly relied on digital platforms, such as websites, apps and videoconferencing tools, for work and personal activities. At the same time, organizations improved their online customer experiences by embedding new technologies, making investments, and accelerating enhancements to respond to increased digital traffic. These advances often came with the goal of nudging people’s everyday choices and behaviors as well as improving consumer decision-making.

It appears to be working. Companies are interacting with customers through digital channels more than ever. In fact, in the U.S. 65% of customer interactions were digital in nature in July 2020, up from just 41% in December 2019, according to McKinsey research. It would have taken three years to see this increase under prior digital adoption rates.

Interactions with financial companies were no exception. In a recent survey of U.S. investors, Vanguard found that digital engagement for completing financial activities is strong. Roughly 70% of respondents reported they are comfortable conducting financial business online, and more than half (53%) are comfortable doing most of their investing online. Further, 60% of respondents prefer conducting financial activities online over other methods, such as in-person transactions and phoning customer service.

Survey participants cite a plethora of benefits to engaging with their money digitally, which primarily boil down to a sense of control and the ability to save time. Specifically, investors cited saving time (81%), the ability to conduct financial business at any time (75%), and faster access to their money (67%) as reasons investors prefer digital engagement.

Advantages such as the ability to transact business in real-time and broad accessibility of online financial websites allow people to take many financial interactions into their own hands. More control (47%) and more responsiveness (38%) also ranked among the top benefits of digital engagement. Whether simply checking the performance of specific stocks or interacting with their 401(k) investments,…

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Smart home devices are big on convenience but often lack security :: WRAL.com

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By Keely Arthur, WRAL consumer reporter

Smart home devices like thermostats, light bulbs, smart safes and security cameras add a whole new level of convenience to your home. However, security experts say these devices can be a treasure trove of information for hackers, because manufactures often don’t put in enough safeguards, prioritizing ease of use over security.

Neal Bridges, the chief cybersecurity and content officer for information technology and securities company INE, an “ethical hacker” who simulates device hacking to expose vulnerabilities in software, was able to hack into a smart security camera within minutes just by accessing the unsecured Wi-Fi it was connected to. Bridges was able to unearth personal data during this simulated hacking because some of the software used in the device had not been updated since 2011.

“This is very common,” he explained. “They’re using software they don’t typically have to pay for so therefore it’s not maintained by any well-established organization.”

Information can also be hacked if a device is physically stolen and its computer chip is accessed. Bridges recommends clearing or reformatting devices before throwing them away.

Bridges tells Five On Your Side that most smart home devices are easy to hack because there’s no industry or government standard for protection.

“The manufacturers don’t build them with safety and security in mind,” Bridges said.

Early this year President Biden issued an executive order calling for companies and the government to increase their cybersecurity efforts. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has explored the idea of a consumer software labeling program, much like nutrition labels. But that agency doesn’t have the authority to make rules for labeling, and any labeling would be voluntary.

Bridges tells Five On Your Side that for now it’s really up to consumers to protect themselves.

Here are three ways to protect your smart home from a hack

  1. Create a unique username and password for each device, and make sure your Wi-Fi itself has a passcode.
  2. Use two-factor verification when available…

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Consumers Prioritize Protection Over Convenience in McAfee 2022 Trends Survey | News

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SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan 14, 2022–

McAfee’s 2022 Global Trends Study, released today, reveals U.S. consumers’ greater perceived risk of exposure to online threats for individuals and family members, and a corresponding desire to invest in online protection. These findings come as more consumers shift their daily lives online, with greater use of internet banking, more investment in virtual assets, and a proliferation of online activities due to COVID-19.

“Almost every aspect of our lives now intersects the digital world. This requires greater levels of information to be shared with an increasing number of applications and organizations through the Internet. Safeguarding this information requires a combination of strong security architecture of applications along with good user hygiene, such as strong passwords and multi factor authentication,” said McAfee’s Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Steve Grobman. “The potential loss of sensitive personal information is a major concern for our customers and their families. Our mission is to educate people and provide tools to deliver privacy and protection to enable customers to safely maximize the benefits of our digital world.”

A reoccurring theme throughout the survey was a shift to being fully protected over other benefits such as convenience and cost. This emphasis on strong protection is particularly acute in healthcare, for which 69% of respondents opted to keep their information private and secure, over utilization of new capabilities like AI.

In-depth findings for the top seven trends are available in the country specific factsheets.

Country Fact Sheets

2021 presented unique risks, further increased digital adoption, and shifts around traditional activities online. It is imperative that consumers around the globe take action to keep themselves and their families safe, secure, and protected to best enjoy life online in 2022. For more information on how to stay safe online, visit our blog.

Survey Methodology

McAfee, LLC commissioned MSI-ACI to conduct an online survey about possible shifts in needs, attitudes and actions around online safety. The study spanned…

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