Microsoft Plans to Remove Passwords Due to 'Inconvenience'
Microsoft has long declared "war" on the use of passwords due to its inconvenience for many people. While passwords may seem to be a must for security reasons, it can backfire should the password be forgotten.
Microsoft's recent endeavors in removing these happened as it started utilizing advanced scanning technology for its Windows software. Recently, Microsoft partnered with tech giant Fujitsu to develop a "Palm-vein" scan for its laptops, which allows users to simply hover their palms on an embedded scanner for it to unlock their laptop.
Microsoft has also added a new feature to the latest Windows where passwords are not necessary anymore. The leading tech company worldwide has been vocal that passwords are now on a phase of being "passed" by time.
"This relic from the early days of computing has long outlived its usefulness, and certainly, its ability to keep criminals at bay," wrote Microsoft in an official blog post in December.
Unlike before, today's generation boast so many accounts that maintaining a secure password is sometimes inconvenient. Banking, social media, emails, digital shops, and various applications now require a password. What the tech giant is aiming for is to replace it with biometric scans such as using fingerprint, face, eyes, and the palm.
Microsoft and Fujitsu's palm-vein scans are advertised to be much more effective compared to previously used scans such as face and fingerprints, most commonly found in tech giant Apple Inc. The palm scans make use of the veins present beneath the skin of the user's hand, which makes it harder to copy due to it not being visible on the surface. Fujitsu claims that there is only a 0.01% chance of failure using this, with 0.00008% chance of hacking, per sources from ZDNet.
The companies arrived at the figures after Fujitsu made a dry run by testing it on the laptops and computer devices of its 80,000 employees in Japan. With its continued success, Microsoft and Fujitsu users may receive these features in the near future.
