The days of securing your accounts with passwords is clearly numbered, as Amazon announces that it is joining the scores of tech firms going passwordless in 2023.
Let's be honest, passwords suck. They're hard to remember and cause frequent login problems, particularly considering the number of accounts the average user has in the modern era. Even worse, they do a middling job of protecting you, with hackers gaining access to accounts in mere minutes if they aren't secure enough.
Fortunately, after decades of use, the password is slowly fading away, with major tech firms launching passwordless functionality that is easier, more secure, and generally doesn't suck.
Amazon Going Passwordless
Announced in a blog post, Amazon is officially rolling out passwordless functionality on its ecommerce platform. This means that users will be able to login with “a fingerprint, face scan, or lock screen PIN” on their devices, rather than with a password.
“This is about giving customers ease-of-use and security simultaneously in their Amazon experience.” – Dave Treadwell, senior vice president of ecommerce at Amazon
The passwordless functionality — called passkeys — will be available on the website and on the iOS app, with the security feature coming to Android devices “soon.”
Amazon joins a list of tech firms that have enacted these kind of security changes, including Google and Apple. But as the trend steadily gains momentum, you can safely assume that virtually every platform down the line will be using this kind of technology to secure your account.
Are Passwords Going Away for Good?
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Given that passkeys are so much easier and safer than passwords, it's safe to assume that, eventually, passwords will be gone for good. So, is Amazon going to make you ditch your password right now?
“While passwords will still be around in the foreseeable future, this is an exciting step in the right direction. We are thrilled to be an early adopter of this new authentication method, helping to realize our vision for a more secure, passwordless internet.” – Dave Treadwell
No matter how you look at it, the passwordless movement is very much in its infancy, which means that if you really love your passwords, you have nothing to fear… yet.
Are Passwords Really That Bad?
When it comes to actual security, there is nothing inherently wrong with passwords. If you create unique, complex, lengthy passwords for all your different accounts, you should be more than secure.
However, no one does. Studies have shown that the average user has more than 100 accounts, and 85% of them are reusing passwords. Even worse, password security mandates aren't nearly secure enough, considering any password under 11 characters can be hacked in minutes.
You might be thinking to yourself, “Well, I use passwords every day and I've never been hacked!” While that may be true, the reality is simply not the case for a lot of users. In fact, 38% have reported that they have had at least one password hacked or guessed, compromising their account and personal information.
