How Microsoft Wants to Make a Billion Users' Passwords Disappear, For Good

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The end of an era. Microsoft has decided to review its copy in terms of cybersecurity. No more long passwords that are impossible to remember, make way for passkeys!

While cyberattacks are exploding, with a dizzying increase of 200% according to the latest figures, Microsoft is taking the bull by the horns. The company now blocks a whopping 7,000 password attacks per second, almost double compared to last year. But faced with the proliferation of threats, the company headed by Satya Nadella has decided to move up a gear by betting everything on passkeys.

“The era of passwords is coming to an end, the company said in a statement. Malicious actors know this, which is why they are desperately ramping up password-related attacks while they still can.

What are passkeys??

But what are these famous passkeys that everyone is talking about?? Imagine a world where you no longer had to rack your brain to come up with a decent password, or laboriously retype it every time you logged in. Passkeys are the promise of authentication as simple as a selfie or a touch of your fingerprint.

In concrete terms, passkeys are based on an asymmetric encryption system.When you create an account, your device generates two keys: a public one, stored on the service's server, and a private one, stored on your smartphone or computer. To log in, simply use your usual unlocking method (facial recognition, fingerprint or PIN code), and that's it!

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The advantage? Enhanced security, since your precious private key never leaves your device. Even if the server is hacked, hackers would only have access to public keys, which are as useful as a key ring without a lock.

No more headaches for users?

Microsoft doesn't do things by halves. To convince its billion users to adopt passkeys, it has some strong arguments. According to their data, passkey authentication is three times faster than traditional passwords. Enough to save precious time for all those who spend their days logging in and out of various services.

But that's not all. Passkeys have a 98% login success rate, compared to only 32% for traditional passwords. No more frustrations related to typos or forgotten passwords. And for those who fear a complicated transition, Microsoft reassures: 99% of users who begin the passkey registration process complete it successfully. As of January 2025, Microsoft Authenticator will natively integrate support for passkeys.

However, Microsoft is well aware that the road to a passwordless future will be fraught with challenges. Convincing the 30 to 40 percent of users who are most reluctant to change will be no easy feat. That's why the company is betting on a smooth transition, encouraging users to start small.

Microsoft's strategy is simple: eliminate passwords altogether and only accept phishing-resistant credentials. A bold bet, but one that could well revolutionize the way we authenticate ourselves online. The era of the password is coming to an end, and that may not be a bad thing.

• Microsoft wants to eliminate passwords for a billion users in the face of the explosion of cyberattacks.
• Passkeys, based on asymmetric encryption, promise faster and more secure authentication.
• The transition will be gradual, with the native integration of passkeys into Microsoft Authenticator from January 2025.

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