{Disarmed} The future of Microsoft is one without passwords: You can now log in using only alternative methods
Passwords , cumbersome as they can be at times, have been necessary for the past few years. They are the essential method to protect access to an account or content. However, Microsoft believes that it is time to get rid of them , and they lead by example by allowing their users to abandon them in favor of other authentication methods.
Microsoft began implementing passwordless authentication for Microsoft accounts earlier this year, although only for some users. Now this is expanded to all users, who can already access the Microsoft account without entering a password if they configure it.
"Password removed: You have increased the security of your account"
The Microsoft idea behind this is that passwords really are neither as strong nor as convenient as other methods. First of all we have to remember a unique password to avoid duplicates that are not secure. While it is true that we can use a password manager , they are still not as secure as other methods since they can be stolen by third parties or filtered.
Instead, Microsoft proposes to remove the password and use other methods such as the Microsoft Authenticator app on mobile, the fingerprint, Windows Hello, physical keys or two-factor authentication. All these methods can be activated directly from the Microsoft account settings. As they explain, these methods are more complicated to "steal" and at the same time are more comfortable to use.
Right now, the easiest way to do this in your Microsoft account is by downloading the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile (available for both iOS and Android). Once downloaded, you have to log in with your Microsoft account and in the account settings panel from a browser confirm the new linked device. After this, it will give us the option to remove the password and once done each time we want to log in, we will only have to confirm the new device from the Microsoft Authenticator app.
Microsoft says this functionality will roll out to all Microsoft account users in the coming weeks. In other words, if you don't see the option right away, it should appear shortly.
In xiaomist.com I've been using a password manager for years and now I can't live without it (literally)It is undoubtedly an interesting bet on the part of Microsoft. Now it remains to be seen what other large platforms do , where passwords are still the rule for now, along with two-factor authentication. In an Internet full of passwords, the best thing we can do right now to protect our accounts is to use a password manager with different passwords for each account and configure two-factor authentication.
Via | Thrrott
More information | Microsoft
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The news The future of Microsoft is one without passwords: you can now log in using only alternative methods was originally published in xiaomist.com by Cristian Rus .
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