Google Chrome test build allows automatic login

Will it be a convenience or a security risk? Search giant Google is now testing a new feature for upcoming versions of its Chrome browser that will allow automatic login into Google Web apps. The feature is presently built not in Chrome itself but in "Canary," its experimental build, according to tech site ExtremeTech. Currently, users will have to access the feature in the "about:flags" page of Canary. The feature is not yet turned on by default. With “pre- and auto-login" enabled, users can get virtually instant access not only to Gmail but to Google Docs, Google Reader, and Picasa. ExtremeTech also cited the possibility of an infobar that pops up when a compatible page is detected, hinting that Chrome’s auto-login might be available to third-party sites across the web, similar to Mozilla's BrowserID. But without a master password option, ExtremeTech said it is possible for anyone to just double-click Canary's icon and gain access to Google Web apps without even having to guess the passwords. "While the option to automatically sign in to Google apps is a convenience, the setting would also allow anyone that can double-click the Chrome icon on your desktop to access all your Google data without knowing your password," ExtremeTech noted. Google, the company behind the cloud-centric Chrome OS, has been making it easier for users of its Web apps like Gmail to connect to the cloud. Last week, it allowed offline access to Gmail, although the feature is only for Chrome. Meanwhile, tech site TheNextWeb said it expects Google to thresh out the issues before releasing the feature into the stable versions of Chrome. "At any rate, if you’re serious about security then this is probably a bad idea. If you’re willing to take the risk, then it’s an incredibly handy thing, especially if you happen to run two or three or four different Google accounts," it said. — TJD, GMA News