Gates Says Bye-Bye To Passwords
Bill Gates announced, at the Microsoft IT Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark, that biometric and smart cards will be the direction of the future for security authentication. He has decreed the change to smart cards for his company and believes that this is a good thing because, “We’re finally seeing leading edge customers taking that step,” said Gates.
“A major problem for identity systems is the weakness of passwords,” Gates said. “Unfortunately, with the type of critical information (protected by) these systems, we aren’t going to be able to rely on passwords. Moving to biometric and smart cards is a wave that is coming, and we see our leading customers doing this.”
Gates added that Microsoft plans to issue smart cards to its employees for accessing the company building and their computers. The system will be based on Microsoft’s .Net technology.
“In time, we will completely replace passwords,” Gates said. “Having the .Net capability, we are very excited to see smart cards moving into this framework.”
Microsoft shaping the future again, any bets on how it will eventually turn out?
November 17th, 2004 at 10:39 am
Buh-Bye Passwords
Tony reports that Microsoft plans to wean itself from passwords and move to smart cards, both for their own benefit and to help nudge along the increasing interest in biometrics and smart cards.
That would certainly help with the problem of people u…
November 17th, 2004 at 1:46 pm
Once again, we see Microsofties trying to use a technological solution to what is essentially a sociological problem.
Earth to Gates - It won’t work. Cards get lost. Cards get damaged. Cards get stolen. Cards get spoofed. Cards won’t work remotely.
Back to the drawing board.
DD
November 17th, 2004 at 2:39 pm
DD,
I was thinking the very same thing. What happens when you show up to work with out your card? They would have to have some master card to get you back in to things. People WILL find out how to make the master cards and once that gets out…..
Anyway, I look forward to seeing what they try to do to address the issues you listed and more.