Passwords Are Now A Weakness - Here's Why It's Time To Eliminate Them.

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It's time to realize an uncomfortable truth: we will no longer be safe online. A recent breach of Fast Company's Content Management System (CMS) should prove it. The hacker, known as Thrax, seemed more interested in posting offensive messages and highlighting weaknesses than stealing data, but the situation is nonetheless a stark reminder that passwords are no longer secure.< /p>

Related: Passwords are not secure. Here are some safer alternatives.

So what is the alternative?

Admittedly, Fast Co.'s password management did not meet password management recommendations. Their CMS was protected with a simple default password that would take about 0.00002 seconds to beat with modern cracking software (it was pizza123. Yeah, really). The fact that Fast Co. markets itself as a cutting-edge online publication doesn't excuse this oversight, but it's by no means unique. How many of us do the same — leaving easy-to-remember passwords in place on many of our accounts? Like Fast Co., we assume that a hacker has nothing to desire and that we are not a good target. But that doesn't matter anymore, and it's time to eliminate the password altogether. It's officially out of use.

Today, there are much better options than the humble password. Facial biometrics is the key to a world without passwords because of the uniqueness of our faces. There are still challenges to solve, of course, but as the algorithms improve in accuracy, we will see a massive shift towards facial identification for identity verification.

The most reliable route to a widespread facial is a digital identity wallet. This form of identity management differs from the type of facial identification that unlocks your phone in the rigorous fraud prevention technology behind it. Liveness detection and other advances can prevent fraud, which could otherwise fool less sophisticated facial recognition – techniques such as using a photo, deep dummy or 3D prosthetic mask.

Your face, validated against a genuine government ID, allows you to unlock your device, access accounts, and provide personal data to anyone. As a result, users and businesses can be more confident that their data is safe from fraud and theft. Instead of a password you know, your password becomes something you are, which is much harder for thieves to steal.

Related: Recycled Passwords Put Your Business at Risk

Passwords are frustrating - and they don't work

It's hard to imagine a digital world without passwords. They have become ubiquitous and we take their existence for granted, which means the additional measures are just that – an addition to the password. But a password isn't very secure, even in the rare circumstances where someone is diligent enough to follow best practices. Unfortunately, best practices are proving incredibly difficult to maintain, so companies have added things like one-time passcodes or similar two-factor authentication (2FA). But that's not enough: even 2FA can be easy to hack.

Getting away from passwords will...