{"id":4533,"date":"2019-08-19T15:59:06","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T19:59:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/identity-management\/?p=4533"},"modified":"2019-08-19T15:59:06","modified_gmt":"2019-08-19T19:59:06","slug":"should-your-enterprise-embrace-passwordless-authentication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/identity-management\/should-your-enterprise-embrace-passwordless-authentication\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Your Enterprise Embrace Passwordless Authentication?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Should<\/p>\n

Should your enterprise embrace passwordless authentication? In fact, is passwordless authentication even possible? What benefits can it offer your cybersecurity and identity security<\/a>? How can you deploy it effectively and cost-efficiently?<\/span><\/p>\n

Technology research giant Gartner predicts the future of identity management lies heavily in passwordless authentication. In fact, Gartner predicts by 2022, more than 50% of use cases shall utilize passwordless in 60% of large enterprises and 90% of midsized businesses. So it certainly appears your enterprise should consider embracing this essential cybersecurity technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Download<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n

Before you do, you need to have a full understanding of why your enterprise can no longer rely on passwords alone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Passwordless Authentication Trumps Passwords<\/b><\/h2>\n

In several previous articles, we outline the inherent identity management<\/a> risks embedded in passwords. However, a brief refresher can certainly benefit enterprises of all sizes. Identity experts and cybersecurity professionals alike recognize the increasing liability of passwords.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, hackers can easily guess or crack passwords. On the one hand, this issue stems from the users themselves. Most individuals must remember dozens if not hundreds of accounts and passwords. Usually, this leads users to either use simple, easy-to-remember (and thus easy to crack passwords). On the other hand, hackers can also monitor and evaluate information posted freely on social media. As such, they can discover information commonly used in passwords like birthdays or maiden names. Otherwise, they can use it to pull off fairly successful social engineering attacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, users tend to repeat their passwords for added convenience. Every time users repeat their passwords they increase the chances of hackers guessing or cracking them. Furthermore, the proliferation of data breaches can create cascades of cyber attacks down the line. Hackers sell and share stolen passwords on the Dark Web. Other hackers obtain this information and use techniques like credential stuffing to access enterprise databases. The cycle continues with every breach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Third, passwords prove inadequate when dealing with modern enterprise infrastructures. Identity authentication serves as the new perimeter for cloud and for unmanaged devices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t idle concerns. According to a <\/span>study by EMA<\/span><\/a>, 64% of enterprises rely on password-based authentication. Unfortunately, 90% of those businesses suffered a password policy violation within the past month. As a result, 71% of enterprises reported serious consequences to their password violations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Passwordless Authentication Differs<\/b><\/h2>\n

Of course, the consequences of access management<\/a> failures differ wildly based on the enterprise, the data compromised, the length of time of the attack, etc. The consequences can include any of the following and more:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n