You Can Now Sign Into Your Yahoo Email Account Without a Password With the new Account Key feature, users of the Yahoo Mail app are no longer required to type in their passwords.

By Reuters

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on Reuters

Yahoo's next step in password security is to eliminate them altogether.

Starting on Thursday, the company announced, users of the Yahoo Mail app on both iOS and Android will have access to a new service called Yahoo Account Key, which uses smartphones to verify identities in lieu of traditional passwords.

Here's how it works: When users who sign up for Account Key try to access Yahoo Mail, they will no longer need to enter their password. Instead, the Account Key service will send a message to the smartphone connected to the account.

With a tap on yes or no, users can indicate it is a legitimate attempt to get into the account or deny unauthorized access.

If their smartphone is lost or stolen, users can verify identities through an email or a text message sent to alternative accounts and numbers.

In a blog post on Yahoo's Tumblr page, Dylan Casey, vice president of product management, said Account Key is more secure than traditional passwords because it prohibits anyone from signing in to access an account without the verification that Account Key provides.

Satnam Narang, a security manager with Symantec, called the approach "a step above a password" but said it still falls short of the golden standard of what's known as two-factor authentication, which requires users to confirm their identify with two different pieces of information.

He also expressed doubts that most users will let passwords die easily and encouraged widespread adoption of password management tools until a new verification method replaces them for good.

"I think passwords are going to be around for a little while, I don't think they're going away as soon as we'd like them to. They're so ingrained in everything we do from banking to email to shopping, you name it," Narang said.

In addition to Account Key verification, Yahoo executives announced a revamped version of Yahoo Mail that allows users to connect with, manage and search Outlook, Hotmail andAOL email accounts while signed in to their Yahoo account.

The new Mail also connects to Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to add photos and create "contact cards" with email, telephone and social media information for contacts.

(Editing by Stephen R. Trousdale and Ken Wills)

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Thought Leaders

How Gangster Al Capone Inspired the Launch of a Family-Run Company That Has Thrived for 95 Years

Marty Ozinga, the fourth-generation CEO of Ozinga, explains the legacy and future of the powerhouse construction materials company.

Marketing

4 Ways AI Is Revolutionizing Targeted Advertising — And How to Balance It's Ethical Implications

AI-powered targeted advertising revolutionizes marketing with hyper-personalized promotions. However, ethical and transparency questions hover over this progress.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Making a Change

Learn ASL with This Bundle, Just $40 Through March 24

Learning American Sign Language can open up your mind and business potential, and this bundle makes it easy with 55 hours of content on the alphabet, essential phrases, and more.

Business Solutions

Host Your Website with iBrave — $90 for Life Through March 24

iBrave is an advanced cloud web hosting platform.