You'll No Longer Need to Set a Password With New Microsoft Accounts

Microsoft is once again moving closer to a passwordless future. In a bold step toward embracing passkeys – which uses cryptography to better protect data from hackers and phishing scams – new Microsoft accounts will now be passwordless by default. Instead, the company will issue a prompt to set up passkeys as part of an effort to make the process more secure. The company announced the news on World Password Day, which is observed on the first Thursday in May – a day that's been used to encourage people to review their passwords and security settings since Intel created the event in 2013. The need to get a better grasp on password protection comes at a time when many big tech companies are pushing to eliminate passwords altogether. Apple rolled out passkeys as part of iOS 16 in 2022, followed by Google, which allows people to sign in to Google and other popular accounts such as Amazon, WhatsApp and PayPal via fingerprint, face scan, PIN or pattern using a device's lock screen. "Alth ... Read full article.