As part of their research into doing away with passwords entirely, Google has created rings that can be worn on a finger and also access online accounts and devices.
The drive to replace traditional passwords comes at a time when online security is very weak. Last year, Wired tech writer Mat Honan was very publically hacked; hackers exploited links between his Amazon, Apple, and Google accounts and security flaws of those companies. Moreover, cracking passwords has never been easier. An Ars Technica writer with little technical experience found that nearly anyone can do it.
Initially, Google was experimenting with a USB key that could liaise between a computer and an online service to prove the key’s validity. However, some people aren’t comfortable with the idea of using a USB key, so Google is now replacing the USB key with their prototype ring, though they’re not saying how it works.
