Security-related issues have existed since the birth of online accounts. Hacking and phishing are two common practices that even the most alert of us could potentially fall victim to. And that's expected on the internet because most websites have no way to tell whether it's actually you or someone else trying to log in. As long as the email/username and the password match, you're in. 2-factor authentication (2FA) is another solid security layer that makes it harder for others to barge into your accounts. However, it's not foolproof either. Fortunately for all of us, passwords might soon become a thing of the past. Apple, Google, and Microsoft have announced that they will be adopting the FIDO standard on all major platforms next year. Passwordless sign-ins would then become ubiquitous on the internet.

User Experiences with Multi-device FIDO Credentials

Once implemented, the standard would allow users across iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows to use their phones to authenticate their logins. This would eliminate the need for users to set passwords for their accounts -- making hacking or phishing attempts significantly more challenging. An attacker would need physical access to the user's phone. And even then, they'd need to bypass the device's authentication for them to log into the victim's account.

The Cupertino tech giant already offers a Sign In With Apple feature. It allows users to sign up/in to their accounts without setting a password -- through their personal devices. It additionally gives them the option to use a non-identifying email address to conceal the original address. However, this solution is only baked into Apple's operating systems. When Apple, Google, and Microsoft implement the FIDO standard into their operating systems, users will finally get a cross-platform option for passwordless sign-ins.

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Source: FIDO Alliance

Via: The Verge