Microsoft, Google, and Apple are planning on killing off passwords so now passwords are attached to a thin lifeline.
Forgot your password? The three dreadful words we all collectively despise. We all understand how annoying typing passwords can be and now we all are glad to know that the “reign of terror”, the era of typing passwords is soon to be over!! Microsoft, Google, and Apple have announced the possibility of a password-less login option.
Ironically, this news broke on Password day, and the big tech trio wanting to end this option once and for all. Passwords are usually saved in third-party apps like LastPass or Dashlane or some of us “secure” it via insecure ways by jotting down notes. The plan is for a common standard implementation of broadly known, secure, and easy password-less sign-ins across all three platforms.
This standard was created and introduced by FIDO Alliance with the help of the WWW Consortium. This seems to be a safer login option compared to traditional usernames and passwords. It is similar to two-factor authentication aka 2FA or password manager apps.
The Big Change
FIDO Alliance is already providing password-less logins to several websites and apps now it will be used across the board with Microsoft office 365, Gmail, and iPhone parent companies.
So, now users will no longer require initial logins on any website, app, or device to even enable password-less access. Rather they just have to log in to their phone through whatever method they usually utilize like a fingerprint reader or PIN. This will automatically unlock their account.
How does this work? Let’s say you have to access your website through your desktop. All you have to do is to unlock your smartphone. The phone will have FIDO “passkey”, and this will access the account.
Forget about all passwords and usernames while you are stepping into the future of the virtual world. With supporting services like these, all you need is your smartphone and its login system.
Analysis – The password-less login
So, we all are wondering when this is going to happen. The tech companies are claiming this will be in effect by the end of next year.
This will take quite some time as Microsoft has Windows and Edge, Google has Android and Chrome, and Apple will have to take on macOS, iOS, and Safari.
This will end passwords because people normally keep them easy to remember and easy to guess the same passwords on multiple platforms. And sometimes people fall for scams that can extract usernames and passwords. Or often details can be leaked through a third-party data breach. This all can be prevented with password-less logins.
All of this is not going to happen anytime sooner however it is ensured that support will be provided throughout the year by tech companies.
Password-less login is believed to be a new hit, but we should keep in mind that some people have 4 PIN logins for their smartphones. Keeping that in mind there is a possibility there are a fraction of people who would still be at risk of phone theft and passkey breaches.
