A few days ago, more precisely starting from 23 May 2022, Google has started the release, through the Google Play Store, of the new update to version 5.20R3 of Google Authenticator, the app of the Mountain View giant for authentication to two factors (2FA) on Android.
With the latest update, a further privacy measure has been introduced: to view one of the PIN codes of the various associated services, the user must tap on it.
Google Authenticator hides the codes when opening the app
It was from May 2020 that Google had not updated Google Authenticator, its own app for two-factor authentication (2FA): then the changelog reported the possibility of transferring the associated accounts to another device and the introduction of a new design for the app, aligned with the dictates of Material Design.
Two years later, precisely after version 5.10 of May 6, 2020, a new update arrives for Google Authenticator (version 5.20R3 of May 23, 2022): although Big G has not changed the changelog present on the app page inside of the Google Play Store, a novelty is quite evident.
The six-digit codes, essential for two-factor authentication, are kept hidden until the user decides to tap on the words “Click to reveal PIN”. However, the circular indicator with the countdown on the far right of the row remains unchanged.
Apart from “click to reveal the code”, with a long press, the code will be instantly copied to the clipboard; in addition, it will be possible to perform other quick actions such as renaming, deleting and reordering associated accounts.
This novelty does nothing but hide the codes from potentially prying eyes every time the app is opened, excellent news in terms of privacy and security because it adds another step to the two-factor authentication process.
It is clear that, especially when you have multiple accounts added to Google Authenticator, the repeated view of the word “Click to reveal PIN” could be overwhelming from a visual point of view.
Android is increasingly devoted to the safety and privacy of its users: for some time, in fact, it has prevented them from taking screenshots relating to sensitive apps, even hiding the content of certain applications from the menu of recent apps.