Windows 10 Looks to Eliminate Passwords

Microsoft is flexing its recently-rediscovered innovation muscles … at least where security is concerned.

Info Security Magazine recently reported that Microsoft is moving away from the age-old password into multifactor authentication on Windows 10.

“With Windows 10 we’re actively addressing modern security threats with advancements to strengthen identity protection and access control, information protection and threat resistance,” said Jim Alkove, leader of the Windows enterprise program management team, in a blog. “With this release, we will have nearly everything in place to move the world away from the use of single-factor authentication options, like passwords.”

From a security standpoint, the scheme means that an attacker would need to have a user’s physical device, in addition to the user’s PIN or biometric information.

Users will be able to enroll each of their devices with these new credentials, or they can enroll a single device, such as a mobile phone, which will effectively become their mobile credential. That will enable them to sign in to all of their PCs, networks and web services as long as their mobile phone is nearby because the phone, using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication, will behave like a remote smartcard for two-factor authentication for both local sign-in and remote access.

Microsoft 10 is currently in technical review with a million users, and is due out in late 2015.