Google's manager of information security Heather Adkins recently declared the password 'dead'. Photograph: Jan Miks / Alamy/Alamy
Privacy and security are seriously hot topics at the moment. Revelations about state surveillance have recently dominated the news, and just last week, the National Cyber Crime Unit began operations in the UK.
There have also been recent high profile hacks by the Syrian Electronic Army, targeting media sites such as the BBC and New York Times, password phishing attacks that affected two million German Vodafone customers, and the day-to-day theft of digital devices.
Against this backdrop, two of the biggest players in the world of consumer technology have taken steps to begin moving away from traditional password systems as a means of securing personal data – Google has declared that the password is dead and Apple has added a fingerprint scanner to the iPhone 5S.
Two-Step Verification
At the recent TechCrunch Disrupt event, Google's manager of information security Heather Adkins said: "Passwords are done at Google." The company has developed a two-step verification process that involves both a traditional password and a six-digit code sent to the user's mobile phone by SMS. In addition, Google is also working on password hardware tokens as another alternative.
Strengthening the security of the password will provide additional protection against thieves and hackers, as well as helping to solve the problem of lost or forgotten passwords.
Biometrics
Other companies have turned to biometrics as a security solution. The most notable and recent example of this is the fingerprint scanner in the new Apple iPhone 5S. Rather than numeric or pattern passwords, owners can set their fingerprint as their password to ensure that no unauthorised users can access their phone. This system can also be used to confirm purchases from the iTunes store.
The fingerprint scanner is not the first or only biometric security system available. There have also been developments in iris, voice and facial recognition systems, and the possibilities of physically unique biometrics don't stop there.
For example, cryptographers at the University of Toronto have developed a wristband called the Nymi, which synchronises itself with the individual rhythm of your heartbeat. It uses your cardiac rhythm as authentication with various devices such as your computer and smartphone. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley are also examining brainwaves. This technology takes the form of a headset that measures the wearer's brain-wave signals, transforming them into particular tasks.
The advances in biometric technology present potential new security solutions for both business and personal users, but concerns still persist. If businesses intend to integrate biometrics into their existing security systems, they will not only have to invest a substantial amount of money in the technology, but also in its implementation and maintenance.
On a user level, biometrics can be perceived as intrusive. Not all employees will feel comfortable providing that level of personal data, as well as consumers who want to remain anonymous rather than having their location or purchases tracked by companies.
In the event of injury or disability, biometrics can also become discriminatory and unreliable; if an employee has a disability that prevents them from using biometric security, they may feel stigmatised. Moreover, users that have an accident that alters the way in which they are able to use biometrics would render the security of their devices redundant.
The password may be evolving, but it would appear that the ultimate solution is yet to be found.
Robert O'Brien is CEO of MetaCompliance
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