Most organizations plan to adopt new authentication solutions within two years

Enabling mobile device authentication with biometric-based access is the best approach to eliminate passwords, according to MobileIron.

Percentage of respondents identifying types of authentication technology as “passwordless”

This approach creates a “best of both worlds” scenario that ensures easy deployment, high security, and improved user productivity.

EMA surveyed 150 IT and security managers and looked at a wave of technologies—including device authentication, software and hardware tokens, authentication keys, biometrics, behavioral analysis, certificates, and other approaches—that have emerged to provide alternatives to traditional password-based login processes.

The report revealed that companies are poised to enter a world powered by zero password access to business services. Below are a few key findings:

• More than 90% of respondents indicated their organization experienced a significant password policy violation in the last year.
• Mobile device authentication solutions were determined to be the easiest of all identity management technologies to deploy, while one-time passwords were indicated to be the most challenging.
• Half of respondents believe passwordless approaches to authentication were more secure than passwords.
• Enabling mobile device authentication with biometric-based access creates a “best of both worlds” scenario that ensures easy deployment, high security, and improved user productivity.

Percentage of respondents indicating types of identity management technologies currently in use in their organization

“This research serves as a further proof point that mobile devices are the future of secure access to the enterprise,” said Rhonda Shantz, Chief Marketing Officer at MobileIron.

“Enabling mobile device authentication with biometric-based access solves the urgent problems associated with overreliance on traditional password authentication practices and showcases the importance of mobile security as part of a digital transformation.”

EMA’s research results indicate there is a particular opportunity for platforms that utilize low-friction access technologies such as biometrics, as they enable organizations to leverage existing resources without incurring substantial deployment efforts or related costs.

“By marrying mobile device authentication with low-friction authentication solutions, organizations achieve eminent support for security, user performance, and deployment all in one unified platform,” said Steve Brasen, research director of endpoint and identity management at EMA.