Passwords No More? UAB Researchers Develop Mechanisms That Enable Users to Log in Securely Without Passwords

Passwords are a common security measure to protect personal information, but they don’t always prevent hackers from finding a way into devices.

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham are working to perfect an easy-to-use, secure login protection that eliminates the need to use a password — known as zero-interaction authentication.

Zero-interaction authentication enables a user to access a terminal, such as a laptop or a car, without interacting with the device. Access is granted when the verifying system can detect the user’s security token — such as a mobile phone or a car key — using an authentication protocol over a short-range, wireless communication channel, such as Bluetooth. It eliminates the need for a password and diminishes the security risks that accompany them.