Microsoft has been a proponent of password-free technology for quite some time, saying it wants to die traditional and insecure passwords. To this end, it has invested in various solutions over the past few years, such as Windows Hello, Microsoft Authenticator, FIDO2 security keys, and a palm vein authentication system, among other things.
Now, the company has highlighted the progress it has made in removing passwords in 2020 and has stated that it plans to make them a thing of the past for all its customers by 2021.
Microsoft noted that nearly 80% of all cyberattacks are directed at passwords and that one in 250 corporate accounts is compromised each month because of this. That said, the company is making an effort to move people towards password-free solutions. In November 2019, 100 million people used Microsoft’s password-free login. That number rose to 150 million in May 2020, which shows how millions of people are prepared to leave their passwords because of the hassle of remembering them, along with the insecurity they may have.
Throughout 2020, Microsoft participated in several conferences to share its vision of a passwordless future and a Zero Trust environment. An overview of Azure Active Directory support for FIDO2 security keys in hybrid environments was also presented, as well as a new password-free wizard through the Microsoft Administration Center 365. The company collaborated with several security partners of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) to also drive password-free solutions.
Technology giant Redmond highlighted the following 2020 statistics:
- Passwordless use in Azure Active Directory increases by more than 50% for Windows Hello for Business, login to the phone without a password with Microsoft Authenticator, and FIDO2 security keys.
- More than 150 million password-free users in total in Azure Active Directory and Microsoft consumer accounts.
- The number of consumers using Windows Hello to sign in to Windows 10 devices instead of a password increased from 84.4% to 69.4% in 2019.
2021 is the year Microsoft plans to make passwords obsolete for all of its customers. It is currently developing new APIs and a UX to manage FIDO2 security keys, and also aims to offer a “converged registration portal” where customers can manage their credentials without a password. While it expects 2021 to mark a return to “old normalcy,” the company has stressed that going without a password will significantly make life easier online.