The use of passwords on the Internet is something that has been with us for many decades. We use them for practically everything, such as email, social networks, online stores… However, it is a reality that they are one of the priority objectives of hackers. They can steal access keys through very varied methods. This makes us reconsider whether it is advisable to use an alternative and Microsoft is clear about it. We are going to explain to you how they plan to eliminate millions of passwords.
From Microsoft, they have warned of the increase in Phishing attacks created to steal passwords. They have indicated that, every second, they block up to 7,000 attacks. Without a doubt, figures that show us the risk that access codes run and why we must act to protect them as much as possible.
Eliminate passwords, a solution
What Microsoft proposes is to eliminate passwords, keys as we know them, to reduce risks. But of course, we will have to use something to log into an account. That’s where access codes come into play. For example, using your fingerprint to unlock access to an application or service on a device.
This greatly reduces the risk of phishing attacks. These types of threats seek to make you put your password on a fake website and, in this way, steal it. By using another access method, in which you are not going to use a password as such, this problem disappears. They would have to steal the biometric access key, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, which is stored on the device.
Microsoft has more and more services that support access keys. It is not necessary to enter the password, but simply the fingerprint or some other method. This is increasingly accepted, which shows that users use this option in their daily lives and it is not a nuisance.
All of this makes Microsoft increasingly aware of the idea of eliminating millions of traditional passwords and, in this way, making way for access codes. A way to protect security as much as possible and avoid Phishing attacks and other threats that may affect.
How it affects you
In your day to day life, it will only affect the way you enter your accounts. You will not have to enter traditional passwords, but simply enter your fingerprint, for example. This will also make it faster to access an account on the Internet, beyond the improvement in security.
Adoption, according to Microsoft, is being more than positive. Additionally, this reduces the risk of having to reset passwords, forgetting them, etc. You do not need to have a unique password for each registration, but you will simply need to use your fingerprint to enter. It is, therefore, more difficult to steal, while being more convenient to use.
In short, Microsoft continues taking steps to eliminate traditional passwords. What it seeks is to enhance the use of access keys and thus reduce the risk of Phishing and other attacks. Keep in mind that the time it takes to steal a password will depend on how secure it is.
