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Passwordless authentication is a verification process that determines if someone is who they say they are without requiring the person to manually enter a string. Authentication methods include biometric data, security tokens, and connection of another application, service, or device that has already authenticated the user. Actually, it's about bypassing the keys to increase security.
With passwordless authentication, users are presented with one or more methods to log into an application or device without the need to enter a password. Common types of passwordless authentication include email-based, SMS-based, multi-factor, biometric, or passwordless authentication for registered users.
Moving Beyond Password
It becomes more and more clear that traditional password management and company policy for password creation just doesn't help. Rules like never using an old password, creating long or complex passwords that use almost every available key in your keyboard, or using random passphrases are ok, but in the real world, they simply don't work. Even when the toughest rules are in place, hackers still exploit password authentication.
Today’s major trend in authentication completely eliminates the password as a security weak spot. Each security provider is working hard to implement passwordless authentication options, which are based on biometrical or other scanning systems similar to users, when turning on their devices, rather than having users remember and type passwords. Biometrics focuses on technology such as fingerprint scanners or facial scans. This form of authentication is commonly found on mobile devices like smartphones but more and more on desktop systems. Our devices increasingly use fingerprint scanners or facial authentication depending on the operating system you’re using. Biometrics is growing as a result of the proliferation of sophisticated mobile devices, fingerprint sensors, and high-quality camera systems.
What are biometric passwords?
Biometric passwords are identification systems that use biological phenomena to carry out their function. Biological phenomena can be related to any aspect of a human being. It can be a physical element, such as the face or retina, or a behavioral aspect, such as gesturing. The biggest advantage they have is that each person has their own characteristics, so their biometric password is unique. The main types of biometric technology currently developed are:
Speech recognition
Fingerprint
Retina scanner
Facial recognition
Hand skin features
Heart rate
What are the advantages of biometric passwords?
As you probably already noticed, it is a technology on the rise, and therefore, it has a series of advantages that make it safer: By combining biometric modalities in different steps, a very effective and secure identification system is created. For example, the device can ask for a facial recognition first and then a fingerprint. Even with their drawbacks, they are much more secure than traditional passwords. This is because the analysis algorithms are much more complex and the resources used are difficult to duplicate. They are perfect to combine with encryption systems, such as those used in WhatsApp security so that only the information can be accessed by those who must. According to a study performed by IBM, 67% of users prefer to use biometric passwords as they are more convenient to use. They do not require memorizing complex sequences of characters as they only involve making a small gesture. In this sense, it is a technology that we will see more and more in our day today.
But what happens if the scan fails?
Biometrics is a technology that has no ceiling yet, so it has a great future ahead of it. However, being something relatively new, it still has certain drawbacks and problems: They are not yet ultra-precise systems, they fail easily and disrupt the user experience. So, what happens if your finger is wet or inside a glove or there’s too much sun for your camera to work properly? All this technology still features a weak link to overcome: the option to bypass the biometric with a password or PIN. “Password bypass” is a necessary design feature. In extreme and unpredictable scenarios, there must be an alternative method for users to access their data. Or is it?
When a default method fails, an app can prompt for a different biometric type by enabling multiple biometric technologies. Alternate biometrics, such as the voice authentication in your phone microphone, allows you to enter a complex string in a convenient, keyboard-less way. It is possible to make the password a thing of the past with multiple biometrics that is supported by an application.
