Your Questions About Passwordless Authentication Answered

The importance of data security and protecting your accounts cannot be understated. The potential for identity theft, credential stuffing, data breaches, and other malicious activities is a real and ever-present danger in our increasingly connected world. Hackers can replace your passwords and lock you out of your account indefinitely.

A password alone isn’t enough to protect your accounts anymore—but implementing passwordless authentication can provide you with that security.

What Is Passwordless Authentication

Passwordless authentication is a verification method that does not require a user to enter a password. This can be accomplished using a variety of techniques, such as sending a one-time code to the user's mobile phone or email or using a biometric authentication factor like a fingerprint or face scan.

This method of authentication is more secure than the traditional one because it eliminates the risk of password reuse and phishing. It is also better for the user experience, meaning people no longer need to remember multiple passwords.

What Are The Benefits of Passwordless Login

Passwordless authentication eliminates the need for users to remember and enter lengthy and complex passwords.

One of the most common ways that hackers gain access to accounts is through phishing attacks. But this method reduces the risk of password reuse and phishing attacks, as well as the opportunity for hackers to guess or brute force their way into user accounts.

Moreover, passwordless login can be faster and more convenient than traditional password-based authentication methods.

At the end of the day, passwordless authentication can give you greater peace of mind. They offer greater convenience and usability, making them an attractive option for organizations looking to improve their authentication process.

Types of Passwordless Authentication

Hardware Security Tokens

A hardware security token is a physical device used to authenticate a user's identity. The most common types are smart cards, USB tokens, and one-time password tokens.

Smart cards are small, portable, and durable. They can be used for a variety of applications, including physical access control, logical access control, and identity management. USB tokens share similar features.

OTP tokens are the least popular type of hardware security token. They are large, bulky, and difficult to carry.

Certificate-Based Authentication

Certificate-based authentication is a form of passwordless authentication that uses a document called a public-key certificate to verify users. This can be a major advantage for users, as it eliminates the risk of forgetting a password and being locked out of the system.

When a user attempts to log in to a system, the latter checks to see if the user has a valid certificate. If they don't, the system won't allow the user to log in.

OTP Email

OTP email authentication is a standard passwordless method that can be used to protect account login. It involves sending a unique code via email to the user's email address, which the user can then enter on the login page to authenticate their account.

This method of authentication eliminates the need for users to remember complex passwords. It also makes it much more difficult for hackers to gain access to accounts, as they would need to compromise both the user's email account and the OTP code in order to log in. However, it is possible for hackers to intercept the OTP code if they have access to the user's email account.

Email Magic Links

Email magic links are an innovative new way to authenticate without the need for a password. They can be sent directly to the user's email address.

These links provide a much simpler process that's less likely to result in frustration or abandoned accounts. Even if someone manages to intercept the link, they would still need to have access to the user's email account to log in.

Authenticator Apps

Authenticator apps use either a time-based one-time password (TOTP), a universal two-factor (U2F), or multi-factor authentication (MFA) to generate a code to log in to an account.

With TOTP, a code is generated based on the current time and a secret that is shared between the app and the service you’re logging in to. The code is only valid for a short period of time. U2F uses a physical security key that must be inserted into a USB port or NFC reader to generate the code.

Fingerprint Scan

Fingerprint scanning is a form of biometric authentication that uses an individual's fingerprint as a password. When used for authentication, a fingerprint scanner captures an image, which is then compared to a database of known fingerprints. If the fingerprint matches one in the database, the user is authenticated and granted access.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition works by scanning the user's face and comparing it to a stored database of images. If the user's face matches one of the images in the database, then they are verified and can access their account. Passwords can be guessed or stolen, but it is much harder to replicate someone's face.

Voiceprint

Voiceprint authentication is a method of verifying a user's identity by their voice. This works by recording a person's voice, then using algorithms to extract unique characteristics from the recording. These characteristics are then used to create a template, which can be used to verify the person's identity.

Voiceprint authentication can be used in conjunction with other forms of identification such as fingerprint or retinal scanning.

SMS

SMS is also very convenient for passwordless login. Users can simply enter their phone number to log in, and they will receive an SMS message with a one-time code to complete the login process.

There are a few advantages to using SMS as a form of authentication. It's convenient, secure, reasonably priced, and available worldwide. Companies can easily find an SMS authentication service to start sending OTPs to their user base.

How To Use Passwordless Authentication With Dexatel's API

The Dexatel API allows the use of passwordless authentication as well as OTP with SMS. You need to connect your application or website to the Dexatel Platform using the Dexatel Verify API.

The purpose of the Verify API is to generate and send a one-time code to a user's phone number. This way, users can enter the code sent to their phone numbers to log in to their accounts.

1. Create an Account

Create a free account on the Dexatel CPaaS platform. Log in to your dashboard and manage your account settings, like topping up your account, updating information, and more.

2. Generate a Unique API Key

Then, go to the API Keys section, where the system will generate a unique API key. You will then use that as a credential to send automatic requests on your behalf.

3. Create a Sender Name

To do this, you can add your brand name to the Sender IDs in the dashboard. But another way to go about this is by sending a POST request to the Sender endpoint. This will allow you to send OTP messages with a customized ID.

4. Get a Template ID

Then, go to the Templates page or send a POST request to the Template endpoint. Once a template is created, the API will generate a template ID for you to use. To get your template ID, send a POST or GET request to the Template endpoint.

When creating a template text, feel free to use any character depending on the destination country. However, you must include a {code} variable in it. The Dexatel Verify API will generate a random OTP and replace it in your message instead of {code}.

Here are a few verification templates to set up:

• Your code is {code}. Do not provide it to anyone.
• Your verification code is {code}. Complete it as soon as possible.
• Your registration code is {code}. Thank you!

5. Ask for Your Clients’ Phone Numbers

Once everything is set up, ask your customers to provide their phone numbers for logging in to your account and make sure to verify them.

For future attempts, you can request a code from the Dexatel Verify API to create and send to your customers’ phone numbers. Once a recipient enters the correct code, they will be able to log in to the platform without any static password.