Google Introduces Android 12, Enhances Privacy & Productivity for Work Devices
By – Ashwathy Nair
Google has confirmed that with Android 12, which is now in the developer preview, Google will launch the next level of protection that will offer more simplicity and IT utility and more privacy and employee productivity.
Google stated that it is introducing a more straightforward, modern approach to password restrictions for users on work profile devices.
On Thursday, in a statement, Google stated that “Instead of granular requirements that often results in easily forgotten passwords, a pre-set complexity levels of high, medium or low will be established that will be used for accessing the device.”
In order to manage access to business apps in the work profile, admins can still be able to utilize a more granular password through the work security challenge.
The tech giant stated that “the work security challenge allows an IT-approved password for accessing to data in the work profile by separating from a simplified password for the device.”
Google has also enhanced the system setup process in Android 12 to prompt employees if the password given does not meet the complexity criteria set by the admin.
The company explained that “users who receive a prompt can simply decide to increase their device password strength or can even set up a work safety challenge to access apps in the work profile.”
If it is approved by IT, employees can also switch back to one password for both works as well as personal if they change their mind.
Administrators will be able to choose whether to use the new standards of password complexity for company-owned computers or continue to use the more granular limitations.
Certificate management is a vital tool that enables companies to enable access to remote resources for employee authentication.
In Android 12, by making the process accessible to apps next to the system policy client, Google streamlines credential management for unmanaged devices.
“More companies can extend secure access to employees with this expanded credential management regardless of their location, a key requirement in the COVID-19 era.”
A new enterprise-specific device identifier is being created for employee-owned managed devices that may be helping in enhancing privacy in the event an employee leaves their current employer.
Google stated that “Instead of getting relied on hardware identifiers like IMEI or serial numbers, personal devices will be getting a new identifier derived programmatically during enrollment.”
