Google is rolling out a new set of Android theft-protection updates that expand the reach of Identity Check, add more user control over Failed Authentication Lock, and tighten protections against repeated screen lock guessing.
In a January 27 post, the Android Security Team said Identity Check, first enabled for Android 15+ as a safeguard for certain actions outside “trusted places,” has now been extended to cover “all features and apps that use the Android Biometric Prompt.” That means third-party banking apps and Google Password Manager can automatically benefit from Identity Check’s additional biometric safeguard when it applies, building on earlier efforts to make BiometricPrompt-based app access more resistant to PIN compromise. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Identity Check is designed to require biometric authentication for specific security-sensitive actions when a device is outside trusted locations, even if someone knows the device’s PIN, pattern, or password. Google’s expansion follows the broader direction outlined when Identity Check was extended to more BiometricPrompt flows, tightening the conditions under which an app can fall back to a non-biometric unlock method.
Google also said it is adding a dedicated enable/disable toggle for Failed Authentication Lock, a feature introduced with Android 15 that automatically locks the screen after excessive failed authentication attempts.
Separately, Android is increasing the lockout time after failed attempts to guess a device’s PIN, pattern, or password, and identical incorrect guesses will no longer count toward the retry limit.
On recovery tooling, Google is updating Remote Lock (android.com/lock) by adding an optional security question or challenge, intended to ensure that only the legitimate device owner can initiate a remote lock.
Google is also moving toward more “out-of-the-box” protections in Brazil, where new Android devices activated in the country will have Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock enabled by default, reflecting the company’s focus on markets with elevated phone theft risk.
Sources: Google Security Blog
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
