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What are some of the alternatives to passwords?

With the average person juggling multiple digital devices and online
accounts, keeping track of, and entering passwords can be a
time-consuming annoyance. But at the same time, as hacking and phishing
attacks become more commonplace and sophisticated, leaving your personal
information unprotected is obviously not an option. What are some of the
new security methods that remove the need to enter a password, but still
keep your devices and accounts safe?

Fingerprints

Since the release of the iPhone 5s in 2013, Apple has provide the option
of opening your phone with a fingerprint, bypassing the need to enter a
number code or password at all. Since then, Samsung, Sony and HTC have
all followed suit. It is now possible to purchase a stand-alone
fingerprint scanner to protect your desktop or laptop.

There are two types of fingerprint scanner, optical and capacitive. Optical scanners are used in smartphones, and work by reflecting light off of the grooves
in your finger. The capacitive method uses an electric current from a
sensor to gain the same information. Capacitive scanners are more
accurate, and are recommended for high-security purposes.

Facial Recognition

Apple’s Face ID for their iPhone X uses a dual-module sensor, projecting
a grid of more than 30,000 infrared dots onto a face, with the other
module processing the pattern to allow access. A 3D facial map is
generated and stored in a local, secured area of your phone’s processor
for future reference.

Face ID is considered the most secure of the facial recognition methods
on the market today, with reports of Samsung’s facial recognition
technology being fooled by a photograph. There are flaws in any
implementation of this method, though. People with a twin sibling cannot
utilise it, and people seeking unauthorised access only have to point
the device at the owners face in order to gain it.

Single and temporary passwords.

A single and temporary password differs from a standard password in that
it is only to be used once, sent by SMS to a user’s phone, most often in
the form of a Randomly Generated Number (RNG) code. This ensures that
only the device owner can access an account, making it a safer than the
usual security questions for this purpose.

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is an added layer of security, rather than a
password alternative. It can take the form of a QR or RNG code. If you
are serious about your security needs, then this extra precaution is
something to at least consider.

If you’re interested in a powerful and secure business process
management platform, with the option of two-factor-authentication. If
you’re interested, get in touch with us today, for a free, no-obligation demonstration.

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