Significant progress has been made in helping people protect their devices and information through more user-friendly methods like biometrics and Passkeys, according to new research.
However, the majority of systems being used by technology companies place an undue burden on users to understand different and difficult security rules, while people also are not given enough choice about which solution best fits their individual requirements.
The research, published in the journal Computers & Security, was written by experts from the University of Plymouth and University of Nottingham who have been studying and monitoring password practices for more than 20 years.
They say the demand for secure and usable authentication methods has never been greater, with people owning increasing numbers of devices that – in a large number of cases – store all of their most important personal data.
But as things stand, people are required to engage with a range of authentication methods – including passwords, PINs, tokens, and biometrics – multiple times a day, across different devices and services.
This fragmented approach, the researchers say, not only increases cognitive load but also raises barriers for those with physical, cognitive, or contextual limitations with usability and security often treated as competing objectives rather than coexisting goals.
Professor Nathan Clarke