Windows 10 devices to allow sign inwith face, iris

The new Windows 10 operating system will allow users
to sign in to a device without a password by using
biometrics, including facial recognition, Microsoft
announced Tuesday.
Microsoft said its Windows He
llo feature will support
biometric authentication as part of an effort to reduce
the use of passwords, which can often be hacked.
This means "using your face, iris, or fingerprint to
unlock your devices," Microsoft vice president Joe
Belfiore said in a blog post.
"You—uniquely you—plus your device are the keys to
your Windows experience, apps, data and even websites
and services, not a random assortment of letters and
numbers that are easily forgotten, hacked, or written
down and pinned to a bulletin board."
The move comes following a wave of reports about
hacking into databases, which can lead to identity theft
and other crimes.
Apple and Samsung have already begun putting
fingerprint sensors on their smartphones, and other
types of biometrics are being developed across a range
of products and services.
Belfiore said Windows Hello offers improved online
security because it "enables you to authenticate
applications, enterprise content, and even certain online
experiences without a password being stored on your
device or in a network server at all."
Microsoft has begun testing for Windows 10, which is
being developed for both traditional PCs and mobile
devices such as tablets and smartphones. No precise
date has been given for its launch Belfiore said "there will be plenty of exciting new
Windows 10 devices to choose from which will support
Windows Hello," and that if the device already has a
fingerprint reader, it will be compatible with the new
authentication system.
Infrared imaging
For facial or iris detection, "Windows Hello uses a
combination of special hardware and software to
accurately verify it is you—not a picture of you or
someone trying to impersonate you," he wrote.
"The cameras use infrared technology to identify your
face or iris and can recognize you in a variety of lighting
conditions."
Microsoft also announced that developers of other
services would accept the same authentication under
the programming system dubbed "Passport."
This provides a more secure way of letting users sign in
to website or apps.
This opt-in system will verify the user of a device before
authenticating that person for the wider range of
services accepting Passport.
"Instead of using a shared or shareable secret like a
password, Windows 10 helps to securely authenticate to
applications, websites and networks on your behalf—
without sending up a password. Thus, there is no
shared password stored on their servers for a hacker to
potentially compromise," Belfiore said.