Microsoft to abandon passwords

Two-factor the way of the future?

Monday, March 14, 2005 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News

Microsoft has revealed at a security panel at CeBIT that it is preparing to dump passwords in favour of two-factor authentication in forthcoming versions of Windows. Detlef Eckert, the senior director in charge of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing initiative, did not specify which form of two-factor authentication would be used in the next edition of the company's operating system, codenamed Longhorn.

But he said that the code would have vastly improved handling of technologies including smartcards and security tokens. "I believe that the time of password-only authentication is gone," said Eckert. "We need to go to two-factor authentication. This is the only way to bring the level of trust business needs." The panellists were in broad agreement that better digital identity is essential for the future development of e-commerce. RSA Security chief executive Art Coviello suggested that the effects were already being felt, pointing out that some Australian banks have recently pulled out of planned web services because of security fears.

Hat tip to Neowin.net.

wombatDK
Reply #1 Monday, March 14, 2005 10:01 PM
I strongly agree to that. To me, passwords are a pain. For remote administration I already use certificate based authentication whereever possible... This way I have a public key and a private key, and the only thing I ever give out is the public key. Private key could, for example, stay on a USB stick if I ever felt like trusting a strangers machine with getting it.
Frogboy
Reply #2 Tuesday, March 15, 2005 2:15 AM
On my new ThinkPad I just use my finger print to access everything.
NightTrainthedark
Reply #3 Tuesday, March 15, 2005 7:24 AM
On my new ThinkPad I just use my finger print to access everything.


Thats a neat feature. Its better than me having to use my footprint every now and then.
MSethWeisberg
Reply #4 Tuesday, March 15, 2005 1:56 PM
On my new ThinkPad I just use my finger print to access everything.


I see only one problem with that...what happens over time as the machine gets a little used/abused/beat up/dirty? How well will the fingerprint indentifier work?
Essencay
Reply #5 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 2:50 AM
Remote-access progammable keyfob with multiple buttons to unlock and fire-up various things as you head up your driveway. The Mac version would only have one button though
HG_Eliminator
Reply #6 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 2:59 AM
well it's only taken them how long to decide to put the second button on the mouse ?????
Hazylunarrain
Reply #7 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 9:54 PM
I dunno. I think if someone REALLY wants to get past, they will. I mean, any password can be figured out.
kona0197
Reply #8 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:24 PM
On my new ThinkPad I just use my finger print to access everything.


How does that work Brad?
Keith Reilly
Reply #9 Monday, March 28, 2005 8:13 AM


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