Google Acquires SlickLogin, The Company Behind Sound-Based Security

Web giant Google has officially purchased independent company SlickLogin, TechCrunch has discovered. Both companies today confirmed the acquisition.

For those who have yet to hear of the work SlickLogin is doing in the security space, it boils down to the technology they’re developing to change how users use computer passwords in the future. It does so through sound-based tech that requires a smartphone or tablet.

When a site is using SlickLogin’s tech to secure user information, it plays a “nearly-silent” sound through your computer speakers at the login page. If you’re running a SlickLogin-certified app on your device, it will pick it up, confirm the encrypted sound is legitimate, and ping the login server giving you the OK to proceed.

SlickLogin can serve as a replacement for conventional passwords, or can serve as a second-step authentication procedure for those who desire multiple layers of security. It’s only been available in closed beta up until today’s acquisition.

What Google will do with the team and its tech remains to be seen, but given the security breaches of last year, it’s on Google’s priority list to enhance security for its users however it can.

“Today we`re announcing that the SlickLogin team is joining Google, a company that shares our core beliefs that logging in should be easy instead of frustrating, and authentication should be effective without getting in the way,” SlickLogin wrote on its website.

“Google was the first company to offer 2-step verification to everyone, for free – and they’re working on some great ideas that will make the Internet safer for everyone. We couldn`t be more excited to join their efforts.”