Android 12 to enhance security for users on work profile devices

Google has announced to introduce the next level of security with Android 12, now in developer preview, that will provide more simplicity and utility for IT and more privacy and productivity for employees. Google has also improved the device setup process in Android 12 to prompt employees if their provided password doesn`t meet the complexity requirements set by their admin.

New Delhi: Google has announced to introduce the next level of security with Android 12, now in developer preview, that will provide more simplicity and utility for IT and more privacy and productivity for employees.

For users on work profile devices, Google said it is introducing a more straightforward, modern approach to password restrictions. 

"Instead of granular requirements that often result in easily forgotten passwords, we're establishing pre-set complexity levels of high, medium or low that will be used to access the device," Google said in a statement on Thursday (February 18). 

Admins can still utilise a more granular password through the work security challenge to manage access to business apps in the work profile. 

"The work security challenge enables an IT-approved password for access to data in the work profile, separate from a simplified password for the device," the tech giant said.

Google has also improved the device setup process in Android 12 to prompt employees if their provided password doesn`t meet the complexity requirements set by their admin. 

"Users who receive a prompt can simply choose to increase the strength of their device password or set up a work security challenge to access apps in the work profile," the company said. 

If approved by IT, employees can also switch back to one password for both work and personal if they change their mind. 

For company-owned devices, admins will be able to choose whether they use the new password complexity levels or continue using the more granular restrictions.

Certificate management is a critical tool that allows enterprises to enable authentication for employee access to remote services. 

In Android 12, Google is streamlining credential management for unmanaged devices by making the process available to apps besides the device policy client. 

"With this expanded credential management, more companies can extend secure access to employees regardless of their location, a key requirement in the COVID-19 era".

For employee-owned managed devices, we`re creating a new enterprise-specific device identifier that may help enhance privacy in the event an employee leaves their current employer. 

"Instead of relying on hardware identifiers such as IMEI or serial numbers, personal devices will get a new identifier derived programmatically during enrollment," Google said.