Microsoft says you should use something better and removes passwords for new accounts.
All newly created Microsoft accounts will now be passwordless by default, according to a Microsoft announcement. Additionally, it is advising its long-time users to change their passwords in order to better secure their accounts.
Ankush Pandey
Highlight
- Microsoft wants its users to stop using passwords altogether.
- Now, the business will only allow new users to sign in using passkeys, biometrics, or other methods.
- Microsoft also requests that current users remove their account passwords.
Microsoft has declared that passwords will no longer be needed for new accounts. The business is encouraging them to use Passkeys instead. With the help of contemporary, safe substitutes like Passkeys, facial recognition, fingerprint authentication, or security keys, users are supposed to completely transition to a passwordless world.
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Microsoft claims that this is something it has wanted to do for almost ten years. In 2015, the company launched Windows Hello, marking the beginning of its investigation into passwordless sign-ins. More secure authentication techniques have been gradually added since then. The company claims that more than 99 percent of its users nowadays use biometrics or PINs rather than passwords when logging into Windows using a Microsoft account.
But why is Microsoft going passwordless?
Security and usability both hold the key to the solution. Human error, brute-force attacks, and phishing are all threats to traditional passwords. Microsoft goes so far as to draw attention to this vulnerability by stating that it now tracks about 7,000 password-based cyberattacks per second, which is more than twice as many as it did in 2023. In order to get around digital security, it is now simple to crack a password as cybercriminals continue to improve their strategies. The company now encourages users to use passkeys, which are supposedly more secure, in place of passwords.
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What is a Passkey?
Passkeys are supposedly much more secure and easier to use for authentication than passwords. This authentication method is based on standards and was created in collaboration with the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance. Companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft are partners in the Passkeys initiative, which was created by FIDO to replace passwords for online sign-ins.
Passkeys are based on cryptographic keys, which are usually safely stored on a user's device (such as a computer or phone) and connected to their device PIN or biometric information (such as their fingerprint or face ID).
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Therefore, because passkeys are biometric authentication, they cannot be stolen in a data breach, used by another person, or the target of a phishing attack. Additionally, it removes the need for users to memorise intricate character strings that they must construct in order to make them nearly impenetrable.
Microsoft claims that users who sign in with Passkeys are three times more likely to successfully log in than those who use passwords, with the former having a success rate of 98% compared to 32%.
Microsoft has also introduced a new sign-in interface that prioritises passwordless options in an effort to promote this transition from passwords to Passkeys. According to the business, this new design expedites the procedure and prioritises the safest and most practical approaches.
Newly created Microsoft accounts will also be "passwordless by default." This implies that Microsoft won't request that new users create or remember a password. Rather, users will be presented with a choice of secure sign-in options from the outset. Microsoft also emphasises that current users will not be excluded from this change. Users have the option to change their passwords if they so choose.
