Passwordless login: Improve security and usability

Passwords are a part of your daily life.

For most of us, we use passwords to log into various work accounts, emails, and dashboards. But, how many times have you had to click that “I forgot my password” link to reset it?

Not only is this annoying and time consuming, but it can weaken your security. Password fatigue sets in, once you’ve forgotten your password, you may be tempted to use one of your “tried and true” passwords — one you use for lots of accounts. As easy as it may seem to remember one or two passwords instead of as many accounts you have, this dramatically reduces the protection of your account.

Maybe you aren’t the only one who uses this tactic to remember passwords, but your colleagues, employees, or clients may also do this. This can weaken security for more than just one user and can cause a threat to company security.

Luckily, there is a way to avoid the frustration of using passwords while strengthening your organization’s security: passwordless authentication, or passwordless login. Instead of manually inputting a lengthy password (do they have to make those phone keyboards so small?), you can verify your identity and sign in through other, more secure methods — no typing needed.

Types of Passwordless Authentication

But how can something identify you if you don’t provide a password only you know? You will likely come across one of three types of passwordless login.

• Passwordless email login: To log in in this way, the app, service or website you are looking to log into will email you with an encrypted key, ensuring that only the person who receives the email (you) can access this account.
• Token-based authentication: Most of the time token-based authentication is used, a “token” (or code) is sent to a personal mobile device, often via SMS text or app, which makes sure that only the person who has the mobile device (you) can access the account. A hard-token authentication allows you to verify your information with a physical device instead of a code or password, like a USB, smart card or Bluetooth device.
• Biometric authentication: To access your account via biometric authentication, you will scan your fingerprint or receive a facial identification scan, which provides safety-nets for only the person who has your biometrics (you) can access your account.

Who is passwordless authentication for?

In short: everyone. Any kind of company can utilize the benefits of passwordless security for their employee, consumer, and confidential company information.

Passwordless authentication can be used across various enterprises, like apps, dashboards, desktop logins, and more. Using a passwordless login saves time for any type of login and enhances security for any type of account. Even better, this benefit is easy to implement, user friendly, and entirely universal.

Because passwordless security is a new process, users will most likely have questions and concerns about the new system. To successfully incorporate passwordless security, companies need to be ready to answer these types of questions. But with a simple explanation and a bit of first-hand experience, users will be sure to see and understand the benefits.

Besides increased security, one of the main benefits is the time and money a company can save on IT questions regarding passwords. According to a recent article, 20-50% of all IT help desk tickets are to help with password resets. By utilizing passwordless authentication, you could save your organization both time and money to allocate to other resources.

Why go passwordless?

Passwordless authentication can prevent countless types of cyber attacks. We’ve listed a few of the most common and how they can impact you without protection.

• Password spraying: This occurs when hackers test common passwords across many usernames to see if they can gain access to any of the accounts. Since the hacker is attempting to gain access to different accounts instead of trying multiple passwords with the same username, they are less likely to be blocked by security features that lockout a user after multiple failed attempts. By using passwordless verification, there is no password for hackers to guess and you don’t have to choose between remembering something simple and unsafe or something long and difficult to type.

• Credential stuffing: Like password spraying, hackers are checking if they can use known passwords, but instead of checking common passwords across a variety of usernames, they are taking one known login username and password and checking that across multiple sites. This is where reusing passwords can become a real problem.

  But without a password at all, there is no way for them to take your credentials, and there is nowhere for them to stuff your credentials.

• Social engineering: This tactic is essentially hacking humans by tricking someone into voluntarily giving up valuable information. This can be done in person, like someone asking you to swipe them onto the elevator, or online, like an email. You should be wary of sending any type of valuable information over the phone or the internet. With passwordless authentication, there is one fewer piece of information to be stolen or extorted.

• Spear phishing: This common attack adds another layer to social engineering, instead of hacking humans or sending an email scam, spear phishing targets a specific person or organization to socially engineer. CEOs, CTOs, and CIOs that have more access to internal systems and information are higher targets for spear phishing, so taking vulnerabilities, like passwords, off their plates can better protect your entire business.

• Keylogger malware: A keylogger monitors your keystrokes and reports them to the malware owner. Even though your password may show up as black dots instead of the letters you type, the hacker can see exactly what you truly typed, granting them your password and access to your accounts. By removing the use of a password, you completely remove all risk associated with keylogger malware.

• Shoulder surfing: When someone is hovering over your shoulder and watching what you do on your computer, this is shoulder surfing. This can also happen virtually through screen recording. However, if you are using passwordless authentication, all their spying will award them is the view of you entering your account without a password, which will not help them gain access to your account.

By incorporating passwordless security into your organization, you will be able to avoid and reduce security breach risks as well as save time and expenses. U.S.-based companies allocate over $1 million to password-related support costs. That’s a substantial amount of money an organization can save to use elsewhere by using passwordless security. When it comes to protecting your data and saving money, passwordless login is a great place to start.

Trusona’s passwordless approach

Trusona understands how dynamic the world of digital privacy has become, and provides security to match. Our passwordless login authentication goes beyond eliminating vulnerable passwords — if that was your only worry, you’d just apply stricter standards on what characters can/must be used in your password field.

Trusona takes it to the next level by replacing a written password with MFA that’s hard to share. Using both a mobile device and some form of biometrics, a user must identify themselves with factors only they have, not something a hacker could easily duplicate.

Even further, Trusona employs patented anti-replay technology with every passwordless login, so no login attempt can be successfully duplicated. But don’t just give the IT team relief, think about your staff. Trusona is a user-friendly, easy-to-implement login solution. Meaning your employees are likely to actually follow the protocols instead of rolling their eyes and going back to their old ‘convenient’ ways.

If you’re ready to better protect your organization without sacrificing user experience, check out Trusona’s passwordless authentication or try the passwordless MFA for yourself.