Passwordless Identity

Passwordless identity is an approach to authentication that eliminates the “something you know” factor of traditional passwords in favor of passwordless factors like “something you are” or “something you have.” Something you are factors rely on biometric authentication methods like fingerprint or facial recognition, while something you have factors authenticate through physical objects, like phones or proximity badges.

Passwordless authentication addresses the user frustrations associated with password-based systems. They improve user satisfaction by being quick, convenient, and easily integrated into familiar applications and tasks. The ease of use prevents users from turning to unsecure workarounds like credential sharing, using redundant answers to security questions, or keeping a list of passwords posted at workstations. The user-friendly benefits of passwordless identity can also lead to increased efficiency and productivity, as well as fewer help desk calls related to password issues. This, in turn, reduces costs and increases the ROI of passwordless identity solutions.

Passwordless authentication methods are also more secure than passwords, which can be easily guessed, stolen, or compromised through phishing attacks. Passwordless methods, on the other hand, are much harder to hack. For example, biometric data is unique to each individual and can't be easily replicated, while security keys provide a physical token that must be present to authenticate. This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

Additionally, passwordless authentication can be integrated with other security measures, such as multifactor authentication (MFA), to provide an additional layer of security without additional barriers to use.