Security is the biggest issue for technology users today. From online passwords to passwords and/or passcodes for devices – we there are always people on the lookout for a flaw so that they can take advantage of unauthorized access. And Microsoft is dead serious about finding something better than passwords to keep users secure.
According to Dustin Ingalls, group program manager for Windows security and identity, “We have to solve this, ideally in a standard way across industry because the ecosystem will be better off if we can solve it for all devices and services users come across daily."
I think we can all agree that the issue has to be solved, and that if a standard can be found that satisfies the entire industry, that would be great. Of course, ideal doesn’t always happen in real life!
Microsoft, however, is trying really hard and has joined up with the Fast IDentity Online (Fido) Alliance. Fido is a group that is working toward coming up with a standard that will give users strong, but simple, authentication. Microsoft is not the sole big name in the alliance, though, with the likes of Google, PayPal, Lenovo, and Mastercard joining the ranks.
So what else is Microsoft doing to do away with passwords and strengthen security?
Enter Windows 8.1 (remember: upgrade to Windows 8.1 and ditch Windows XP!). Ingalls says that Windows 8.1 is designed to incorporate security measures that will not rely on the faulty password system. This is due to a key element of the operating system, which is to provide “a single, easy enrolment experience for users regardless of what biometric device is being used.”
This also means that developers for the operating system will have an easier time of it, with Windows 8.1 doing all the work.
On the user side, we probably will just enjoy the experience of having a more secure system without having to keep track of all the passwords that we need.
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