Ok, this might be an
over-dramatization. However, as we all know, the trusty password isn’t what it
used to be. It seems like I’m reading about hashed password dumps and Twitter
hacks every week now. I think it’s time for something better, and so does
Google.
On Tuesday, the Fast IDentity
Online Alliance (FIDO) announced that Google has joined their ranks. FIDO is a
consortium of companies working to develop new authentication security
technology that will ultimately replace the humble password. FIDO already
includes heavy-hitters like PayPal, Lenovo, Nok Nok Labs and Validity, but it’s
safe to say that Google’s research and financial brawn will bring a substantial
lift to efforts.
But what will they come up
with? There are certainly ideas out there, but replacing the password isn’t an
easy task. Any replacement will need to be just as versatile, but more secure.
The most cliché replacement
suggestion, of course, is a biometric scanner that reads fingerprints or other unique
physical characteristics. The big benefit here, obviously, is that it’s very
difficult to crack. If you think cracking a password takes time, imagine how
long it would take to gather all the data contained in a fingerprint! The
downside, of course, is that should your biometric data get hacked, there’s no
good way to change it short of going Men
in Black on your fingertips.
Other ideas include voice
recognition, security tokens, and near-field communication. All have strong
security benefits, but also present problems. I guess we’ll just have to see
what FIDO comes up with.
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