R.I.P. Password

R.I.P. Password

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Apr 16, 2014

If you’re like me, you love a movie with a good plot…one filled with unexpected twists and turns that keeps your attention, and sprinkle in a little bit of emotional baggage, then add a R.I.P. Password murder plot to the mix, and you’ve got the next Oscar-winning movie! Throughout this type of movie, each moment is carefully planned to ensure viewer engagement and interest stays piqued. The same is true in the mobile world, only the plot here revolves around the murder of the password by biometrics. (Weird, scary music can be heard in the background.)

The setting opens up in the 1960’s where people used mainframes housed in an entire room. These time-sharing computers required a user to enter their login name and password, telling the computer who was sitting at the terminal and which files to make available. Back then, stealing someone’s password was a practical joke. There was only one computer where you could use your credentials and not too much personal information was displayed.

Fast forward 50 years, and look what the right password can do: allow you to read emails, order products, hijack cloud-storage accounts, even delete every trace of someone’s digital life! And, all this and more can be done anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection.

Here enters the character, PayPal, who in 2010 decided to consult with their head of security, a fingerprint security entrepreneur and a renowned cryptographer to establish an easier way to log into PayPal. Two years later, the FIDO Alliance was launched, a group trying to wean companies off passwords for good; hence, the murderer takes center stage to kill the password.

According to the members of FIDO, if people log into their computers with fingerprint readers, sites could log them in automatically using the Zero-Knowledge Proof protocol that proves a successful identification has been made without giving away details. Therefore, a single device could authenticate someone to the entire web.

Take the iPhone 5s, for example. You always have a finger with you and in this day, you always have your phone, so logging in isn’t an issue. The combination of finger and phone makes security much harder to break, and it looks like there’s no room for a password credential.

This never-ending story came to a halt on April 11th with the arrival of Samsung’s new Galaxy S5, complete with a fingerprint reader, but this reader is special. It plugs directly into PayPal which connects the user to dozens of different payment systems. Instead of a password, all that’s needed is a fingerprint to carry the user through the entire web.

RIP password.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.