In today’s digital world, security breaches are becoming more common, and passwords are no longer sufficient to keep our data safe. Passwords can be guessed, stolen, or hacked, and often lead to account takeover attacks. That’s why many businesses are moving towards passwordless authentication, which provides a more secure and convenient way for users to access their accounts.
Passwordless authentication uses a variety of methods to authenticate users without requiring a password. These methods include biometric authentication, like fingerprints or facial recognition, hardware-based authentication, such as security keys or smart cards, and software-based authentication, like one-time codes or push notifications.
But even with passwordless authentication, businesses still need to ensure strong customer authentication (SCA) to protect against fraud and comply with regulations like PSD2 and GDPR. SCA requires two or more factors of authentication, making it more secure than a single password or authentication factor.
Here are some best practices for businesses to implement passwordless and strong customer authentication:
- Assess your authentication needs: Before implementing any new authentication method, businesses should assess their specific authentication needs, such as the level of security required and the user experience desired.
- Adopt a risk-based approach: Businesses should adopt a risk-based approach to authentication, where the level of authentication required is based on the level of risk associated with the transaction or activity.
- Choose the right authentication method: Businesses should choose the authentication method that best suits their needs and user experience, whether it’s biometric authentication, security keys, or push notifications.
- Implement strong customer authentication: To comply with regulations like PSD2 and GDPR, businesses should implement strong customer authentication, which requires two or more factors of authentication.
- Educate users: Businesses should educate their users on the benefits of passwordless and strong customer authentication and how to use the authentication methods correctly.
Passwordless authentication is the future of authentication, providing a more secure and convenient way for users to access their accounts. With the implementation of strong customer authentication, businesses can protect their users' data and comply with regulations. By adopting these best practices, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and provide a better user experience for their customers.