Keep your Google Account safe with Password Checkup

Google has introduced a new tool called Password Checkup to keep your Google Account safe. It is a Chrome extension that helps protect your accounts from third party data breaches.

How does it work?

If Google detects that a username and password on a site you use is one of over 4 billion credentials that they know have been compromised, the extension will trigger an automatic warning and suggest that you change your password. The tool is so secure even Google themselves can’t know your account details. Google developed privacy-protecting techniques with the help of cryptography researchers at both Google and Stanford University.

Where can I get it?

To install Password Checkup on your Chrome web browser, just go to its Chrome Web Store page and click the Add to Chrome button.

What about accounts that I sign in with Google?

If you have a lot of accounts that you signed in using your Google account, you’ll be relieved to know that Google has you covered with Cross Account Protection. When apps and sites have implemented it, Google will be able to send information about security events like an account hijacking to them so they can protect you, too.

Google has worked closely with other major technology companies like Adobe and the standards community at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and OpenID Foundation to make this easy for all apps to implement. For developers, you can find out how to implement this new security feature at Google Developers blog.