Microsoft: At times, various companies have promised that passwords will be a thing of the past.
Over the years, different technologies have been introduced that promised to do away with the humble and ubiquitous password.
To date, none of these technologies has fulfilled their promise.
It is true that most of these new technologies have found acceptance among a growing percentage of the population. However, they are always used alongside passwords.
Now, Microsoft seems to want to change the situation permanently.
The latest Windows 10 update makes it easier to sign in to devices and online services without having to worry about passwords. The secret to the company's success lies in the fact that Windows Hello has just received FIDO2 certification, which means Hello PINs and biometric signatures are now considered secure credentials.
The official press release from the FIDO Alliance states the following:
«FIDO2 is a set of standards that enables easy and secure login to websites and applications via biometrics and/or FIDO security keys. FIDO2's simpler login experiences are backed by strong cryptographic security that is far superior to passwords, protecting users from phishing and all forms of password theft.»
In an accompanying Microsoft announcement, the company noted that “nobody likes passwords…except hackers.”
While all of this is true, it remains to be seen whether this latest attempt at password hijacking will succeed or not. Even if it does, history has shown us that it's only a matter of time before clever hackers find a way to breach systems.
