How to integrate a passwordless login page within minutes?

Online business owners are always trying to find better ways to create an authenticated and secured user experience. Most of them go by the most conventional authentication process that involves a username and password.

But is the most reliable way of protecting your online business from cyberattacks? We don’t think so! That’s because most users can’t keep track of the countless passwords and end up using the same password almost everywhere. As a result, it becomes too easy for hackers to get hold of their accounts.

The best way to avoid this risk is through passwordless authentication. In this article, we’ll talk about passwordless authentication, its importance, and how you can integrate a passwordless login page within minutes.

Let’s get started.

What is passwordless authentication?

Passwordless authentication replaces the conventional usage of passwords with safer factors. These include various secured factors like biometric authentication, key-based authentication, magic links, etc. Users receive these factors via emails or text messages.

Hence, users don’t need to generate a password every time they sign in to your app. You can generate a new password each time to make sure that your app is safe from cybercriminals.

What are the different types of passwordless authentication?

Here are the authentication types that you can use to remove passwords from your application:

1. Magic Links

You don’t have to ask a user for passwords every time they log in. Instead, you can ask them to insert their email ID and use a special link to their inbox for logging in to your app. This link is called the magic link, and you should generate this link for each login attempt by a user.

2. One Time Passwords/Codes (OTPs/OTCs)

Another way to go passwordless is using OTPs or OTCs. In this case, you need to send digits or codes as SMS to the user’s mobile device. This process is very similar to magic links b,ut instead of a link, you need to share a code that the user should insert for each login attempt.

3. Biometrics

Biometric authentication is all about leveraging the physical traits of the users as a verification factor. An app can ask for fingerprints or face-based verification from the user each time they try to sign in to your app.

4. Push Notifications

Apps can also use push notifications as a means of passwordless authentication. Instead of SMS, OTPs, or magic links, the users will get a push notification to verify their identity and log in safely.

Why does passwordless authentication matter?

Still, wondering why passwordless authentication matters? Here’s what you should know:

Complete security

Passwords are vulnerable. Mostly because they’re user-controlled, repetitive, and weak at times. If you want to hold the security ownership of your app, you should switch to the passwordless option. No passwords, no threats of exploitation.

More convenience

Passwordless authentication is convenient from users’ perspectives too. Place yourself in the shoes of a user. You’ll understand how challenging it is for them to keep track of countless passwords. They’re in dire need of apps that can let them in without any passwords and yet keep their information safe.

Better user experience

Nothing can be more enjoyable than using your apps without memorizing tons of passwords. Passwordless authentication can surely improve user experience as users can make the most of their screen times.

How to integrate passwordless authentication using SAWO?

Start integrating passwordless authentication in 3 easy steps and see the change for yourself. Here’s how SAWO makes the whole process simpler for you:

Step 1: Sign-up in SAWO

The very first step to go passwordless is signing up. Before SAWO can help you shift to the passwordless authentication process, make sure that you sign-up to the platform with your app details.

Step 2: Manage the authentication

Once you’re done signing up, it is time to manage the passwordless authentication process. At first, you’ll have to add a field where the users can add their email or contact no. Before going into this step, make sure that you are aware of what type of passwordless authentication will suit your user. For example, if you’re going for the magic link option, you can ask for their email IDs whereas, for OTP/OTC option, you’ll need their contact numbers.

Step 3: Assign private and public keys

Finally, it’s time to assign the private and public keys. SAWO helps you generate two keys in the device, namely private and public keys. You can store the private key in the device itself. In contrast, sending the public key to the server. As soon as these two keys are rightly placed in their destined locations, device, and server, your app is ready for use without any passwords.

That’s it! Users can now log in to your app by simply verifying a challenge and the private key. Combining these two factors is called a signature, and it is 100% protected from threats and a great replacement of passwords.

Final Words

Going passwordless can sound overwhelming for many new online business owners. Passwords have been ruling for years now, and it takes time to adapt to these new changes. However, entrepreneurs should know that passwords are no longer safe and are very prone to inviting unnecessary threats.

It’s time to think out of the box and try something new like passwordless authentication. Want to explore more? Join conversations on the SAWO community to learn about the A to Z of passwordless authentication.