Microsoft: Biometrics are the future of Windows 10 security
With the use of passwords coming under increased scrutiny, Microsoft is taking steps to move beyond them in Windows 10. Its biggest move: Joining the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance and adding support for the biometrics technology in the upcoming upgrade of the OS, which has been slated to ship this year.
"Transitioning away from passwords and to a stronger form of identity is one of the great challenges that we face in online computing, and we believe FIDO authentication, which is the subject of great discussion here at the White House [cybersecurity] summit, is the pathway to success," said Microsoft's Dustin Ingalls, in a blog post late last week.
With Windows 10, Windows devices and Microsoft-owned and partner SaaS services supported by Azure Active Directory authentication can be accessed via an enterprise-grade two-factor authentication solution -- without a password, Ingalls said. Windows 10 will include Active Directory integration for on-premise scenarios and Microsoft Account integration for consumer services like Outlook.com and OneDrive. Ingalls said that Microsoft has contributed design inputs to the FIDO Alliance that will be incorporated into the FIDO 2.0 specification.
