You Have Less Than 3 Weeks Left Before Microsoft Deletes Your Passwords. Do This Now

The future of Microsoft will see us say goodbye to an all-too-familiar thing of the past — passwords. 

After August, Microsoft Authenticator will no longer support passwords at all. If you’re still using the Authenticator app to manage logins, big changes are coming fast. This shift is already in motion: New password creation was disabled in June, and autofill support was cut off in July.  

For years, Microsoft Authenticator has been a go-to for managing both multifactor authentication and saved passwords. However, starting next month, it will move to passkeys instead. That means your logins will soon rely more on things like PINs, fingerprint scans or facial recognition: They’re all more secure, faster and harder to steal than a standard password. 

Passkeys get rid of the risky password habits practiced by 49% of US adults, like using the same password for multiple accounts or using personal hints, according to a Sondaj CNET. However, those convenient hints can pose a bigger risk to scammers, identity theft and fraud. 

If you’re a fan of Authenticator and not sure where to start before the switch, here are other password managers CNET recommends and steps you should take before August.

When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords?

Autentificator Microsoft houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you’re logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator.

Starting this month, you won’t be able to use the autofill password function. And next month, you’ll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. “Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts,” Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords?

Deci, ce este mai exact o cheie de acces? Este o credențială creată de Fast Identity Online Alliance care folosește date biometrice sau un cod PIN pentru a vă verifica identitatea și a vă accesa contul. Luați în considerare utilizarea amprentei digitale sau a Face ID-ului pentru a vă conecta la cont. În general, acest lucru este mai sigur decât utilizarea unei parole ușor de ghicit sau susceptibilă la un atac de phishing.

“Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks,” said Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s software senior writer and digital security expert.

Cheile de acces nu sunt stocate pe servere precum parolele. În schimb, sunt stocate doar pe dispozitivul personal. Mai convenabil, acest lucru elimină incertitudinea legate de memorarea parolelor și necesitatea unui... manager de parole.

Cum se configurează o cheie de acces în Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft a declarat într-o Postare pe blog din 1 mai că va detecta automat cea mai bună cheie de acces de configurat și o va transforma în opțiunea implicită de conectare. „Dacă aveți o parolă și un «cod de unică folosință» configurați în contul dvs., vă vom solicita să vă conectați cu codul de unică folosință în loc de parolă. După ce v-ați conectat, vi se va solicita să înregistrați o cheie de acces. Apoi, data viitoare când vă conectați, vi se va solicita să vă conectați cu cheia de acces”, conform postării de pe blog.

Pentru a configura o nouă cheie de acces, deschideți aplicația Authenticator pe telefon. Atingeți contul și selectați „Configurați o cheie de acces”. Vi se va solicita să vă conectați cu datele de autentificare existente. După ce v-ați conectat, puteți configura cheia de acces.

Other password manager alternatives 

Since Microsoft will get rid of all of your passwords in a few short weeks, you’ll need a new place to store your passwords safely. Tomaschek has a few of the best password manager recommendations after testing and reviewing several. 

The top recommendation is Bitwarden for its transparency. It’s open-source and audited annually. From a price perspective, the free plan lets you store infinite passwords across unlimited devices. The free plan also includes features most password managers would charge for, including password sharing and a username and password generator. 

Bitwarden’s upgraded plans have other upgraded features that could be worth the cost, too. 

Personally, Tomaschek has been using 1Password for a while, and he likes the interface and family plan. Even though it’s second on the list, Tomaschek says it’s just as good as Bitwarden.