Remember the buggy whip? Probably not, since it went out of fashion at the turn of the last century, not even the most recent century. There was a time, though, when it was an essential tool for transportation and commerce. And then it wasn’t.

On the digital road, passwords have enjoyed the same significance, but experts are now saying that their run is coming to an end. Somebody better tell Madge in accounting that all the sticky notes taped to her desk will one day soon be just that, sticky notes taped to her desk. Passwords have been the mainstay for many consumer portals, but more sophisticated users have incorporated 2FA, MFA, or even biometrics to enhance the security of user information. BBC explains much of this trend here, including the revelation that Microsoft intends to kill off the password.

What’s Next?

The likelihood of biometrics alone replacing passwords is slim, but the probability of some combination of measures replacing passwords is very high. The struggle is opacity, a fancy word that describes a lack of transparency. Opacity helps when your information is not as predictable or transparent as some passwords are to the bad guys. Most folks still use simple passwords that are easy to compromise. But opacity works against you when you can’t remember your own password and therefore can’t protect your information. And if the bad guys can steal your data, they can steal your fingerprint.

The best plan is to incorporate a system that works for your organization and still protects your data. While the options are certainly not endless, there are many to choose from. If you want to talk about the ultimate demise of the password and plan accordingly, call ICS today and enter code 1234. But don’t tell anybody our password.