Buzz
In the 1960s, MIT computer scientist Fernando Corbató pioneered the first computer passwords. While these digital keys were groundbreaking, they quickly became a hassle due to frequent security breaches and the frustration of memorizing numerous passwords for different accounts.
Over half a century later, the situation remains largely unchanged. Major companies continue to face cyberattacks, and millions of accounts are compromised annually. The problem is exacerbated by the simplicity of commonly used passwords, with 123456 and password leading last year’s rankings. Corbató describes today’s internet security as a “nightmare,” revealing that his own password list spans three full pages.
Fortunately, several cutting-edge initiatives are underway to replace traditional PINs. Here are some exciting examples.
1. Your Brainprint
If you’re impressed by fingerprint unlocking, brace yourself for something even more advanced. Binghamton University researchers suggest that your "brainprint"—the distinct brainwave response triggered by specific stimuli, such as words—could eventually secure your accounts and devices. A recent study published in Neurocomputing
2. Your Heartbeat
Similar to your brain, your heartbeat produces a unique wave pattern based on your heart’s electrical activity. Bionym, a startup, has developed a bracelet that converts this pattern into a security key. By wearing the Nymi bracelet, an electrocardiogram sensor authenticates your identity. The bracelet can then sync with various devices, such as computers, phones, car doors, and hotel rooms, keeping you “logged in” until you remove it. A motion sensor allows unlocking objects with a simple wrist gesture. However, Nymi’s success hinges on partnerships and developers integrating its features into their products. Until then, it remains a clever but niche wearable.
3. Your Face
Facial recognition, unlike heartbeat or brainprint authentication, is already simple to deploy. Earlier this year, Intel launched True Key, a password manager app that identifies users based on their unique facial features. The app captures your face and analyzes specific attributes, such as the proportions between your eyes and nose. True Key is compatible with Windows and Android devices but not yet with Apple products. It’s free for use on up to 15 websites, with an annual fee of $19.95 for additional sites.
4. Your Google Searches
A project named ActivPass leverages your digital behavior and your memory of it to authenticate your identity. Developed by researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, and the University of Texas at Austin, the project includes an app that tracks smartphone activity and an algorithm to extract password-worthy events. For instance, ActivPass might ask who messaged you first in the morning or what you searched on Google yesterday. The questions must be unique enough to prevent others from guessing but not so vague that users can’t recall the answers.
The researchers discovered that users struggle to remember details after about a day, making recent activity the most reliable. ActivPass-generated questions proved effective as password prompts, with users providing correct answers 95% of the time.
5. Sound Verification Between Your Computer and Your Phone
In early 2014, Google purchased a startup named SlickLogin, which aimed to use sound as a form of authentication. The process was intricate: a website would emit a nearly silent, unique sound detected by an app on the user’s phone. The app would then verify the sound, confirming the user’s identity and ensuring their phone was in proximity to their computer. Currently, Google’s plans for SlickLogin remain unclear.
6. The Veins in Your Palm
In April, Jonathan Leblanc, PayPal’s global head of developer evangelism, proposed that vein patterns could replace traditional passwords. A product called BiyoWallet is already utilizing this technology, allowing users to make payments by scanning their palms with an infrared device. “Palm vein patterns are highly secure because they can’t be replicated like fingerprints, and creating a hand with functioning blood flow is virtually impossible,” states BiyoWallet’s website.
7. Your Stomach Acid
Motorola has developed a “vitamin” that transforms the human body into a living authentication tool. This high-tech pill, activated by stomach acid, emits a signal to interact with devices as long as it remains inside the body. “It means my arms act like wires, and my hands function as alligator clips—touching my phone, computer, door, or car instantly authenticates me,” Regina Dugan, former director of DARPA and now leading Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects, explained to Entrepreneur. While it sounds futuristic, the vitamin has already received FDA approval.
8. Electronic Tattoos
Flexible, sensor-laden materials applied to the skin could serve as a futuristic replacement for passwords. Motorola is collaborating with MC10, a company that has produced the “Biostamp” since 2012. The Biostamp resembles a temporary tattoo and contains adaptable electronics that move with the skin. It tracks and transmits data on vital signs, such as heart rate, blood-oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure, and even brain and heart electrical activity. While its health applications are significant, Motorola envisions a different use. “We aim to develop a tattoo for authentication,” said Dugan. “Teenagers and young adults might skip wearing a watch, but they’d likely embrace a tattoo—if only to rebel against their parents.”
