Microsoft has previously shared a lot of information related to this vision at events on January 21 and today. Today WindowsHello, the new cool personalized computing feature in Windows 10, is finally with us.
WindowsHello is a biometric authorization method that gives you real-time access to your Windows 10 device. With WindowsHello, users only need to show their face and move their fingers to be instantly recognized by new devices running Windows 10.WindowsHello is not only more convenient than entering a password, it's also more secure.
The system enables you to authenticate apps, corporate content and even include certain online experiences without the need for passwords stored locally or on a web server.
How does it work?
WindowsHello brings system support for biometric authorization, a technique that is more secure than traditional passwords by using biometrics such as your face, iris, or fingerprint to unlock devices. Users are the ones who can unlock keys to Windows, apps, data, and even websites and services, rather than using a string of randomly arranged letters or numbers that can easily be forgotten, cracked, or written down on the fly.
Modern sensors log you into a device running Windows 10 by recognizing your personal physical characteristics.
That's when someone will ask, "Which device?" There will be plenty of "Windows Hello"-enabled Windows 10 devices to choose from, such as Microsoft's yet-to-be-released Lumia or Surface flagship phones, which are still in concept.
Users will be able to use WindowsHello to unlock a device if it already has a fingerprint reader. For face or iris detection, WindowsHello is able to use a special combination of hardware and software to accurately verify that it's that user -- not a photo or someone trying to imitate that user.
By using infrared technology, meanwhile, the camera can recognize a user's face or iris in a variety of lighting conditions.
Of course, convenience and security are just as important as user privacy, and WindowsHello provides enterprise-grade security to meet the most stringent requirements and regulations. Government, defense, financial, healthcare, and other organizations can strengthen their overall security with this simple solution.
Enjoy authenticated apps, enterprise content, and online experiences without passwords
Currently, passwords are the primary method of protecting a user's personal information, but they have their disadvantages. They can be easily cracked, and even complex passwords are of little use. Most people want their passwords to be easy to remember, so they choose simple passwords or write them down somewhere on the fly, which is rather less secure. To be truly secure, you need to remember many passwords on multiple devices and services.
In recent media reports, you may have seen a hacker group steal 1.2 billion usernames and passwords from hacked websites. That puts almost all of us in an insecure position, since only about 2 billion people are currently online.
"Passport" is a program used by IT managers, software programmers, and website authors to provide users with a more secure way to log in. With MicrosoftPassport, Windows 10 can securely authenticate logins to apps, websites, and networks for you. As opposed to using passwords that can be ****enjoyed, Windows 10 helps users securely authorize apps, websites, and networks without using passwords. This way, no passwords are stored on the user's server, leaving no room for hackers to take advantage.
Before authenticating on your behalf, Windows 10 will ask you to verify that you actually own the device via a PIN or WindowsHello on a device that contains a biometric sensor.
Once verified by MicrosoftPassport, you'll be able to immediately access a range of sites and services including your favorite websites, email and social networking services, financial institutions, corporate networks, and more.
MicrosoftPassport will support thousands of enterprise-grade Azure ActiveDirectory services at launch, and Microsoft has joined the FIDO Alliance to replace passwords with a suite of services that encompasses a growing range of financial, consumer and other security.
Windows 10 will also bring industry-leading security and identity protection to organizations, allowing them to deploy new Windows 10 hardware devices equipped with WindowsHello support for enterprise-grade device protection as well as the ability to securely access business applications related to corporate calls without passwords.
Users can choose whether to use WindowHello and Passport or continue to use traditional passwords. Microsoft understands how important it is to prevent biometric data from being stolen, so the user's "biometric data" will be securely encrypted and stored locally on the device. This data can only be used to unlock Win10 devices and Microsoft Passport, and will never be used for online authentication.
Microsoft is currently working closely with hardware partners to deliver Windows10 devices that support WindowsHello. All Intel Real Sensing Technology 3D cameras (F200) will be able to support unlocking WindowsHello via facial and iris features, including the ability to automatically log in to Windows and unlock Passport without a PIN.
WindowsHello and MicrosoftPassport will make the user's Win10 device experience more secure and personalized.