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User Authentication

3 Reasons to Use Passwordless User Auth for Python

Authentication is necessary if you are creating a Python app. However, password-based auth is getting dated, weak, and insecure every day.

That’s where Passwordless Authentication comes into play. It’s a modern concept that provides robust security and a seamless experience while cutting down expenses.

Let’s kick things off by learning about Python. Then, we’ll jump to passwordless authentication and lastly why you must use it for your Python project.

What’s Python?

Python is a high-level, versatile programming language known for its readability and elegance. With a simple and clean syntax, Python emphasizes code readability, allowing developers to express concepts in fewer lines. 

Python’s extensive standard libraries and frameworks empower rapid development in web applications, data analysis, scientific computing, and more domains. Its interpreted nature enhances cross-platform compatibility, while its dynamic typing reduces development time. 

What’s Passwordless Authentication?

Passwordless authentication, a technological advancement in security, eliminates the reliance on traditional passwords for accessing digital platforms. Instead, it employs two or more possession and inherence factors to ensure user convenience and robust defense against unauthorized access.

Biometric authentication, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, utilizes unique physiological traits for verification. Alternatively, possession-based authentication involves temporary codes sent to trusted devices, ensuring only authorized individuals gain access.

This approach simplifies user experience and minimizes the risk of multiple attacks. Embracing passwordless authentication signifies a commitment to leveraging cutting-edge security measures, striking an optimal balance between user accessibility and data protection.

3 Reasons to Use Passwordless User Auth for Python

Here are the top 3 reasons why passwordless user authentication compliments Python apps:

Minimizes Security Risks

Passwords can be compromised, stolen, and hacked, causing significant issues in security. As per Verizon, 81% of company data breaches are due to poor passwords.

Moving to passwordless authentication decreases the security risks that come packaged with passwords. A bad actor can take advantage of the information because there’s no possession factor involved, something you know/password.

Indeed, every authentication system has the potential to get compromised. However, passwordless authentication requires multiple factors rather than just a piece of information, a password. 

A passwordless auth system waves off the following blunders caused by humans: 

  • As per Google, 43% have shared their password with someone else. Passwordless eliminates the risks of unauthorized access caused by password-sharing.
  • The same survey says that only 45% would change passwords following a data breach. Thanks to passwordless systems, people prioritizing their convenience over security won’t bother the bigger picture.
  • On average, individuals reuse passwords on 10 of their personal accounts. With passwordless solutions, unique and complex credentials are created for every login so we can finally farewell to risking security for ease.

Passwordless authentication is a type of MFA that replaces passwords with two or more verification factors. It uses fingerprint, facial recognition, device pin, etc., to provide security. The credentials are stored locally on a user’s device, eliminating multiple attacks. And as Microsoft says, accounts are 99.9% less likely to be compromised when you use MFA.

Dramatically Lowers IT Cost

Passwords are expensive. 

To provide password-based authentication, companies must maintain servers, ensure security, hash & manage them, provide relevant customer support, etc. That automatically shoots the IT cost.

Some corporations can bear passwords cost, while others find it hard. However, we think it provides little to no value given the advancements in the modern tech world.

For instance, in 2022 alone, 24 billion passwords were exposed by hackers, as per Digital Shadows. Also, as only half of internet users are somewhat familiar with the best password security practices, it’s a lost cause.

Enter passwordless authentication – a method that helps companies save a ton on verifying their customers and employees.

Before rolling out passwordless to its employees, Microsoft estimated $3 million in hard costs and $6 million a year in lost productivity. After the integration, the company saved 87% percent on soft and hard costs.

A report by Gartner estimates that 40% of all help desk calls are related to passwords and resets. So if we take one of the conclusions by Forrest Research that it costs $70 to reset a password for an individual, going passwordless saves a lot of money.    

Providers a Seamless User Experience

As a business, the comfort of your customers and employees should be your number one priority. As per a HubSpot survey, 68% will pay more for products and services from a company with a strong record of good customer service.

Password-based authentication throws off the users as they have to remember, manage and enter their passwords. Also, to create an account or reset their password, they must invest ample time interacting with lengthy forms. 

As per Beyond Identity, nearly 40% of Americans experience high password fatigue. And 8% of people with high password fatigue report experiencing negative effects on their mental health – which is the last thing you would want for a customer.

Passwordless login solutions provide a seamless verification experience. Customers can sign in by scanning their fingerprints or face or entering their device password. No need to save, remember and manage half-baked passwords.

Also, by going passwordless, you are saving your customers from abandoning your business. As per FIDO Alliance, one-third of consumers have reported giving up on accessing an online service one to two times due to a forgotten password

Try Vault Vision – A Passwordless User Auth Platform 

Want to integrate multiple passwordless solutions into your Python project in an instant? Try out Vault Vision. We enable web & app owners to harness the power of passwordless methods to drive login engagement and increase new user growth.

We believe in providing easy, fast, and secure user logins. Using our Python boilerplate, you can integrate our services into your project within seconds. We also provide preconfigured setup and starter kits. 

Final Words

Bret from CISO for Microsoft says, “don’t let perfection stand in the way of progress. Every step toward passwordless is a step toward improving your security posture.” At Vault Vision, we wholeheartedly agree with him, as password-based systems will only go downhill. Start your free trial now on Vault Vision or get the Launch Plan for just $25. 


https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/documents/PasswordCheckup-HarrisPoll-InfographicFINAL.pdf

https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE3YNUl?culture=en-us&country=us

https://resources.digitalshadows.com/whitepapers-and-reports/account-takeover-in-2022

https://bitwarden.com/resources/world-password-day/

https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/4007059

https://www.forrester.com/report/best-practices-selecting-deploying-and-managing-enterprise-password-managers/RES139333

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2771217/Content/2018%20Customer%20Service%20Expectations%20Gladly.pdf

https://www.beyondidentity.com/blog/measuring-password-fatigue https://media.fidoalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Authenticate-2022-Barometer-Report.pdf

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