Passwords—especially long, complex ones—have become a burden to remember, and most users juggle dozens across devices and platforms. More critically, traditional passwords are increasingly vulnerable to breaches, phishing, and brute-force attacks. As security threats evolve, the need for more secure and simpler authentication methods has never been more urgent.
Cybercriminals are now leveraging AI tools for more sophisticated techniques like phishing attacks, brute-force attacks, and man-in-the-middle attacks. Although there are some reliable password managers, they may not be sufficient on their own.
As the security landscape becomes more complex, the world is heading towards simpler authentication, that is, passwordless authentication.
But before that, let’s understand the common problems with traditional passwords.
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Problems with Passwords
Password-based authentication methods are inherently vulnerable to cyberattacks. The most common problems with passwords are:
- Difficult to remember and easy to forget
- Using the same passwords for multiple services and devices increases the risk of password theft.
- Keylogging: Installing malware on a device to capture keystrokes while entering usernames and passwords.
- Phishing attack: Phishing attack is perhaps the most common form of cyberattacks. According to Norton, around 88% of organizations face phishing attacks annually, which means businesses are targeted almost every day. Phishing attacks for password theft involve tricking users into sharing their credentials through deceptive emails or messages.
- Man-in-the-middle attacks: Intercepting communications streams and replaying usernames and passwords.
- Brute-force attack: Trying many password combinations until they find the correct one or exploiting common and weak passwords.
What Exactly is Passwordless Authentication?
Going passwordless means replacing passwords with biometrics, security keys, mobile devices, digital certificates, or magic links for authentication. So, you no longer need to remember passwords.
But it doesn’t mean that passwords are entirely dead. They are just being replaced with more secure and convenient alternatives like multi-factor authentication and passphrases. In case you’ve no other options, make sure the password you choose complies with the NIST password guidelines (NIST stands for National Institute of Standards and Technology). NIST-compliant passwords are more secure against cyberattacks focused on passwords.
Now, coming to our main topic, password authentication requires users to remember a secret—maybe a password, PIN code, or security questions. Passwordless authentication, on the other hand, doesn’t require users to know any knowledge-based secrets. This not only simplifies authentication but also reduces cognitive load, enhances user experience, and improves security posture.
In 2013, the FIDO Alliance (FIDO stands for Fast IDentity Online) was formed in the USA to reduce the world’s reliance on passwords. The aim of this open industry association is to change the nature of authentication by eliminating the use of passwords on apps, devices, and websites.
The group of 250+ members, including global tech leaders across various industries, introduced FIDO authentication to reduce password use and improve authentication standards. The end goal is to protect people’s privacy and security without requiring complex passwords. All major browsers and operating systems, including Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Windows 10, and Android—all support FIDO authentication.
Passwordless authentication methods
The most common ways to achieve passwordless authentication include the following:
Biometric authentication: Biometrics are unique behavioral or physical traits, such as retina scans, facial recognition, or fingerprint scanning, used to verify a user’s authenticity. Biometric data is nearly impossible to replicate, providing a highly secure alternative to passwords.
The method is gaining momentum, particularly because Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and Google are launching devices with built-in biometric capabilities, such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning.
One-time passwords (OTP): Unlike passwords, OTPs are dynamically generated letters or numbers that grant one-time access. They are delivered via email, SMS, messaging app, or an authenticator app. Because they are auto generated and are different every time, you don’t need to remember them.
Digital certificates: Digital certificates are a pair of public and private keys used to verify a user’s identity. The privacy key is stored on the user’s device, while the public key is stored on the server for secure authentication.
Magic links: Magic links are unique links with embedded temporary tokens. When clicked, these URLs verify the user’s identity and enable login without a password. Magic links are delivered via email, SMS, or a messaging app like WhatsApp.
Passkeys: FIDO passkeys enable a secure, passwordless login by using public-key cryptography to replace passwords. Because the private key used for authentication is never transmitted, this method provides security against social engineering attacks, such as phishing.
Is passwordless authentication really secure?
In comparison with passwords, passwordless authentication is more secure. But no authentication method is totally invulnerable to hacking or malicious attacks. Cybercriminals keep looking for loopholes in the security systems.
The onus is to make our systems as resilient and protected as possible. By combining your security mechanisms with passwordless authentication, you can provide your systems with dynamic protection and harder-to-crack authentication factors, leading to a secure future.
