Microsoft Fully Ditches the Password
September 15, 2021 – Article posted on Bankinfosecurity
Microsoft has officially gone fully passwordless, allowing Windows users to replace their alphanumeric passwords with one of several substitute sign-in technologies to gain entry into a Microsoft product – a move received positively by industry insiders. The company said in a blog post that these new sign-in options, which have been available to commercial customers since March, will become available to all Windows users on Oct. 13.
Microsoft says its customers can still opt to use passwords, but it hopes that by making it easy to go passwordless (which has been available on Windows 10 since 2019), users will choose to do so. Industry insiders agree with Microsoft’s line of thought and say businesses and consumers should adopt any technology that helps remove the need for passwords.
Kevin Converse, identity and access management practice lead for professional services at the security firm GuidePoint Security, says going passwordless is a necessary defensive tool that companies should implement.
“With the recent focus on zero trust by [the Office of Management and Budget], many are realizing that a passwordless environment is a key component for organizations looking to implement zero trust and get a handle on access management as cloud and remote work continues to dominate,” Converse says. “This announcement makes directional sense, given where the business community is heading.”
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