The days of needing to manually remember long and complicated Wi-Fi passwords could soon be at an end for some users.
Google has announced that its Nearby Share service will soon allow people to share Wi-Fi passwords from Android 12 to Chromebook devices.
This means that users with smartphones running the latest version of Android, such as the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, will be able to quickly hook their laptops up to the internet, potentially a huge help if running between meetings or taking public transport.
Wi-Fi password sharing
Nearby Share is effectively Google's competitor to Apple's AirDrop service, allowing users to quickly share information and files directly from device to device.
Launched in August 2020, it has mainly been used to share files, photos and other items from Android and Chrome OS devices, but the launch of Android 12 brought the ability to also share Wi-Fi networks.
According to Chrome Story, which uncovered news of the update in the Chromium Repository, users will not need to be connected to the same network, just within Bluetooth range.
Along with the Wi-Fi password, users will also be able to share the network name or SSID, as well as information on the level of security (e.g. WPA2 or WPA3).
The feature is still apparently in development, but we'll likely see a release soon - possibly in the launch of Chrome 100, which is set for later in 2022.
Google will need to ensure any such feature remains tightly secured, as Wi-Fi and network passwords are a juicy lure to hackers everywhere. Recent academic research claimed that billions of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices could be vulnerable to password and data theft attacks.
Researchers say that attackers could manipulate web traffic on a Wi-Fi chip by targeting the Bluetooth component of mobile devices featuring multiple wireless technologies, allowing them to launch lateral privilege escalation attacks across wireless chip boundaries.
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Via 9to5Google
