'Frictionless' Authentication Needed to Replace Passwords, Says Parks

Sixteen percent of U.S. broadband households admit to sharing their passwords for video service accounts with other people, blogged Parks Associates Wednesday. Fewer than a third are willing to use a non-password authentication method such as voice or thumbprint to access service, vs. 54 percent willing or very willing to use the password method once and then save it on a device, making it difficult for service providers to move subscribers to new methods of password-free authentication, Parks said. Though passwords are risks to users and service providers because of piracy and password sharing, “the password concept is ingrained in consumers' conception of the online video experience," said analyst Billy Nayden. The push to quash password sharing is driving initiatives to “grade” interactions based on prior user behavior, using data points such as geography, time and watching behavior, Nayden said. Grading ensures that interactions requiring a high level of security receive it while routine interactions are “frictionless,” he said. “The authentication process will become virtually invisible to users, except when they attempt to access services outside their normal behavior." Password managers like LastPass and physical security keys are fulfilling the need for better management and security around passwords, said the analyst, and Google entered the physical security key market in 2018 to compete with Yubico and Feitian. New authentication methods need to be frictionless and bring a more personalized, secure approach to authentication, he said. "Poor experiences with authentication and personalization technologies will drive consumers back to traditional methods and increase churn for video services.” The smartphone will likely be a “gateway device” toward a biometric approach, he said.