On Thursday, May 5, which is World Password Day, several tech giants announced that they have committed to creating support for passwordless sign-in across all desktop, mobile, and browser platforms they control.
The said project will roll out in early 2023.
Tech Giant's Passwordless Log-In
According to The Verge, passwordless authentication will come to all major platforms such as Android and iOS mobile OS, Edge, Chrome, Safari, Windows, and macOS.
Kurt Knight, the senior director of platform product marketing at Apple, said that aside from designing their products to be intuitive and capable, they also design them private and secure.
Knight added that working with the industry to establish new, more secure sign-in methods that offer better protection and eliminate the vulnerabilities of passwords is central to their commitment to building products that offer maximum security and a transparent user experience, all to keep users' personal information safe.
A passwordless sign-in process will let users choose their phones as the main authentication device for websites, apps, and other digital services, as Google detailed in a blog post published on May 5.
Unlocking the phone with whatever is set as the default action, like drawing a pattern, entering a PIN, or using fingerprint unlock, will be enough to sign in to web services without entering a password.
This is made possible by using a cryptographic token called a passkey that is shared between the phone and the website.
By making the logins contingent on a physical device, the idea is that users will simultaneously benefit from security and simplicity.
Without a password, there will be no obligation to remember login details across services or compromise security by reusing the same password in several places.
A passwordless system will make it much more difficult for hackers to compromise the login details remotely since signing in requires access to a physical device. Phishing attacks where users are directed to a fake website or an email with a malicious link for password capture will be much more difficult to mount.
Switching to Passwordless Log-in in Microsoft
According to Wired, there are several ways that users can change their password using a code. Users can download the Microsoft Authenticator app on their iOS or Android phone.
Users can also rely on a verification system, like in the case of Windows Hello biometric login. One good reason users want to be secured online is to prevent information leakage, as TechTimes reported.
To go for a passwordless option for your Microsoft account, you can start the setup by installing the Authenticator app.
After opening your Microsoft account with the given password and email address, proceed to account verification.
Then go to the security settings page and click on the option for a "Passwordless" account just below the "Additional Security."
After enabling this, go to the confirmation dialog, and you will see a notification that will be sent to your phone from the app.
Once you've approved the notification, you can now have a protected Microsoft account through the passwordless login.
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Written by Sophie Webster
