Will 2025 Be The Turning Point For Passwords: What’s Next For The Passwordless Future?

For the last several decades, passwords have served an important, and perhaps fundamental purpose in our everyday digital lives. From safeguarding our phones to securing our endless online accounts and profiles - passwords have helped in keeping us, and our data safe, both online and offline.

\ However, even the most reliable source of digital security has its limits, and passwords are beginning to prove as an insufficient source of digital security against an increasingly complex and sophisticated web of cybersecurity threats.

\ The immense, and seemingly sudden increase in cyber-related attacks, breaches, and threats has seen major technology companies move away from conventional password-protected security, and instead develop new measures aimed at keeping users safe.

\ Passwords aren’t going away anytime soon, and they remain an important part of our digital security protocols. However, several new widely accepted cybersecurity best practices are proving to be more useful, convenient, and secure compared to traditional password variations.

\ As the future of passwords hangs in the balance, what is next for the cybersecurity industry, and what will replace passwords in the coming years?

A Passwordless Future Is Possible

Password-based protection options are becoming more diverse in the wake of increased security risks. A growing number of Information Technology (IT) professionals have recognized the importance of having passwordless infrastructure across enterprises and on personal devices.

\ In one survey, 87 percent of IT professionals said that they believe moving away from passwords and implementing more secure options will become an important step toward improving overall cybersecurity features.

\ Though, despite the move, roughly 80 percent of IT professionals are still making use of passwords in their organizations, however, several factors, among these being the cost of password maintenance and ever-evolving security threats could see many organizations moving away from using passwords in the coming years.

\ For enterprises that rely on password protection, the cost of keeping these systems running, and resetting forgotten passwords are becoming an everyday financial burden. Estimates suggest that companies spend on average $70.00 per password reset. For corporations, with thousands of employees, across the world, these costs can quickly add up to $1.0 million annually.

\ Individuals have also started realizing the shortcomings of passwords, including poor memorability and susceptibility to phishing attacks. Though users are quick to point the finger, research shows that around 3 in 4 people don’t adhere to industry-standard password best practices. In fact, 64 percent of people make use of weak passwords, or simply repeat a variation of one password across multiple devices or accounts.

\ The move away from passwords has been a slow process and involves various moving parts that require both consumers and enterprises to work in collaboration to understand long-term cybersecurity needs, and what they can do to create a more secure, and unified digital environment free from bad actors.

The Alternatives To Passwords

Alternatives to single-use passwords are constantly being challenged. This, in turn, allows experts to see which alternatives are more suitable to work alongside single-use passwords, or which would be most suitable to replace them.

Multi-Factor Authentication

MFA or Multi-Factor Authentication is an alternative to traditional authentication measures and is often used alongside single-use passwords to properly authenticate a person’s identity.

\ The process involves a user providing a password or PIN, and will then be requested to authenticate their identity through a secondary process. This usually requires the user to accept a login request via an email, sent by the platform, or enter a one-time PIN (OTP) as part of the authentication process.

\ Additionally, authentication may be verified through the use of biometrics, such as fingerprint or facial recognition. These methods have already been proven successful, and are complementary to the sign-in process. Again, MFA is considered to be an additional layer of protection to single-use passwords, rather than being seen as a one-time replacement.

Geolocation Authentication

Another form of authentication, which is primarily used in enterprise applications is geolocation security. These security features ensure that a device or account is being accessed within a designated location, such as an office or building.

\ For instance, an employee signing into their work desktop computer will be required to enter their details and follow the security prompts. The digital security network will then locate the device, and verify the badge before allowing access.

\ This security feature ensures that company property, such as computers, phones, and tablets are not used outside of a desired location, such as the office. This not only restricts employees from using company-owned devices outside of the workplace but reduces the risk of these devices being accessed by unauthorized actors off campus.

Biometric Authentication

Biometrics have been around for quite some time, and have already seen major strides in the last couple of years. The most notable use of biometric technology was back in 2013 after Apple announced that the iPhone 5S model would feature a Touch ID, or fingerprint recognition feature.

\ A couple of years after this, Apple launched the iPhone X, which featured facial recognition technology, and soon became a go-to for most of their iPhone models. Apple wasn’t the only company that made use of these biometric features for their devices. Plenty of other companies have since followed suit and helped spearhead the commercialization of biometric technology.

\ Across a number of devices and mobile applications, users are now using biometrics to gain access to these platforms, without needing to use passwords. Biometric authentication has proven to be more secure than password protection, as replicating biometrics such as fingerprints or facial features is incredibly difficult.

\ Biometric authentication isn’t perfect. Continuous development of this field will ensure that authentication processes become more sophisticated, and remove any potential threats posed by hackers or artificial intelligence (AI).

Voice Verification

Similar to biometric authentication, such as facial recognition or fingerprint scanning, voice verification allows you to unlock devices or access accounts through voice authentication. Though this might sound like science fiction, the voice recognition industry is expected to grow nearly 23 percent between 2025 and 2027.

\ Owing to the fact that cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated, and complex, voice verification is simply looking at taking the place of passwords, seeing as voice patterns are hard to manipulate or be forged.

\ Though there are some AI-based applications that can now copy, and recreate a person’s voice to sound identical, voice verification could become a complementary security feature, alongside other biometric authentication protocols that would help improve digital security and streamline the user experience.

Passkeys

Recently, application software such as Google has introduced passkeys, and it claims to be a more secure way to sign in to an account without needing to use a password. See, much of the challenge with passwords is that we tend to forget them over time, or they become too complex to remember and require to be routinely updated.

\ Entering a password several times per day is a tedious process, and by replacing this with something shorter, and easier to remember, users will further streamline their online and device experience, without having to compromise on their digital safety.

\ Passkeys can take up numerous forms, ranging from fingerprints, facial recognition, or perhaps a five-digit pin. Passkeys, depending on which platform they may be used, may contain a series of cryptographic features, allowing for better safety, and making it harder to forge.

\ Using a passkey doesn't mean that other important security features will be set to the side. Singing in with a passkey would still mean that a person would need to provide account information such as a username or email address. Additionally, multi-factor authentication may be required, which helps to add another layer of security to your accounts or devices.

Account and Device Push Notifications

Though push notifications aren’t a new feature to our digital lives, they have become more frequented by a growing number of users as they provide immediate approval requirements on most registered accounts or devices.

\ Say, for instance, you are about to complete a transaction online. Before your transaction is successful, your bank will send you a push notification that needs to be approved before the transaction will be further processed. For instance, you will receive the notification via your banking app, which is then unlocked through biometric authentication.

\ The process sounds more complicated than it may seem. In reality, push notifications help to ensure that the transaction you are about to complete is accurate and minimize the possibility of another person using your account or device for unauthorized transactions.

Drawbacks Of A Passwordless Future

It’s possible to see the future going passwordless, with users instead relying on alternative methods to keep their accounts secure and minimize the interception of cyber hackers. However, despite all the progress and advancements that have been made until now, there are drawbacks to a passwordless future.

• Device Requirements: Using passwordless login methods requires devices to be up to date with the latest software or cybersecurity infrastructure. Older devices may not have the capacity to support passwordless technology features, which can pose risks to users.

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• Operating Systems: Secondly, some operating systems have a limited number of capabilities. This may create friction, which could limit users from using various passwordless features.

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• Artificial Intelligence: AI-powered applications are becoming increasingly smart, with some applications having the ability to mimic a person’s voice or extract sign-in information. This is becoming a growing issue for many users and enterprises, as hackers are now relying on these tools to gain access to accounts or take control of devices for ransom.

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• Hesitancy: Passwordless alternatives may have plenty of supporters now, but hesitancy among some users might lead to increased risks, and limit the direction in which the industry can grow in the near term. Suspicion among users to make use of alternative options may create more friction between users and tech companies, but more importantly, becomes a burden for less tech-savvy individuals.

Looking Ahead

Passwords are likely to be around for another several years. It’s unlikely for passwords to disappear overnight, and many users and companies still rely on this security feature to keep accounts and devices safe. There is a big need for more sophisticated security measures.

\ The use of passwords, alongside a range of complimentary security protocols, such as biometric authentication and passkeys will help add a range of new security measures to our accounts and devices.

\ Cybersecurity risks are becoming increasingly challenging to manage, and for users, this requires having the necessary protocols in place to minimize their accounts or devices from being infiltrated. It’s not a question of adding more security, but instead developing more secure methods that are harder to crack, but convenient to use.