Okta to go 100% Password Free?

Original Article

Ten years ago, security experts declared the first Thursday in May a new holiday. World Password Day was meant to serve as a helpful annual reminder for people to change their passwords. It was also a tacit admission of one of passwords’ fundamental flaws: To remain effective, they must frequently be changed.

In the decade since, the login landscape has only grown more complex. Security threats have matured, with phishing attacks rising and growing more sophisticated. Meanwhile, password rules have become more demanding, with ever-changing requirements around special characters, capitalization, and length. Understandably, many users report feeling frustrated by the complicated rules around passwords and overwhelmed by the sheer number of usernames and passwords they have to manage. 

There have been incredible innovations in authentication in recent years, but here we are in 2023, still struggling with passwords. With all their security and usability limitations, why do they have such staying power? And what might a future look like without them…

The Cyber Hut Comment: Last week was World Password Day and Okta prompted a reminder that a password-free landscape is possible, but there are reasons why passwords are still being used.