Facebook says that someday ‘the password’ will be a distant memory. But for now, passwords are certainly necessary. However, Facebook has released a beta version of its Delegated Account Recovery software –a new way for social networks to be the backup security key when online consumers forget their password on different, non-Facebook websites and services. The concept behind this software: When a consumer forgets their password on a website, mobile app or other online service, the website, mobile app or service will instead use Facebook to verify the individual consumer instead of prompting the individual to re-set a password and answer security questions that are often not completely secure methods of password transmission. Delegated Account Recovery will require that the individual consumer prove that they are who they say they are by recognizing friends’ photos in order to log into their account on other websites, mobile apps or online services. Facebook security engineer, Brad Hill, said, “We want to make sure we can let you use identifying information to keep yourself secure, but not have to trade your privacy. Right now, you tell your mother’s maiden name to 500 different places and if anyone of them gets hacked, then you’re vulnerable everywhere.”
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