Best Practices for Username and Password Authentication

Introduction

Though most platforms have already offered passwordless authentication, many are still relying on conventional password-based authentication.

Username and password authentication is a widely used method of verifying the identity of users accessing digital systems. It involves a user providing a unique identifier, called a username, and a secret, called a password, to gain access to a system.

While this method is convenient and widely used, it is also vulnerable to attacks and breaches, making it essential for organizations to implement best practices for secure authentication.

And we know it’s crucial to ensure robust password authentication security since failing could lead to financial and reputational damages.

Let’s discuss the best practices for username and password authentication to ensure the highest level of security for both users and organizations.

What is Username and Password Authentication?

Username and password authentication is a method of verifying the identity of a user accessing a digital system. The user provides a unique identifier, called a username, and a secret, called a password, to gain access. The system then compares this information with its stored database to verify the user's identity.

How to Implement Password Authentication?

To implement password authentication, organizations should follow the following steps:

• Create a firm password policy: This policy should define passwords' minimum length, complexity, and expiry time. Passwords should be long, complex, and changed regularly.
• Use salted and hashed passwords: Passwords should be salted and hashed before storing them in the database. Salting adds random data to the password before hashing, making it more challenging to crack.
• Implement multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of authentication, such as a fingerprint or a code sent to a mobile phone.
• Using risk-based authentication (RBA): RBA helps automatically add a stringent authentication layer to the existing authentication mechanism whenever an unusual authentication attempt is detected. RBA is one of the robust authentication security mechanisms specially designed for high-risk situations.
• Use password managers: Password managers are tools that store and generate complex passwords for users, reducing the risk of users choosing weak passwords.

What are Some Challenges of Password Authentication?

Password authentication has several challenges, including:

1. Password reuse: Users often reuse the same password across multiple systems, making them vulnerable to attacks if one system is breached.
2. Password guessing: Attackers can use automated tools to guess passwords, mainly if they are weak or easily guessable.
3. Password sharing: Users sometimes share their passwords with others, either intentionally or unintentionally, compromising security.
4. Phishing attacks: Attackers can use phishing attacks to trick users into revealing their passwords.

What are Password Authentication Methods?

There are several password authentication methods, including:

1. Plain-text passwords: This is the simplest method, where passwords are stored in plain text in the database. However, it is highly insecure and should be avoided.
2. Encrypted passwords: Passwords are encrypted before storing them in the database. However, attackers can easily crack encryption, making this method less secure.
3. Hashed passwords: Passwords are hashed before storing them in the database. Hashing is a one-way function that cannot be reversed, making it more secure than encryption.

What are Password Alternatives?

Since the digital world demands seamless user experience and security, conventional password-based authentication isn’t potent to serve the same. Hence, there’s an immediate need for password alternatives that can help balance user experience and security in a way that fosters overall business growth.

There are several password alternatives that organizations can consider, including:

• Biometric authentication: Biometric authentication uses unique biological characteristics, such as fingerprints or facial recognition, to verify a user's identity.
• Social Login: Social login enables users to use their current social media accounts to sign in or sign up for a new account. With social login, the need to create a new account on a different platform is eliminated. Users can use their existing social media accounts, including Facebook, Gmail, Instagram, etc., to sign-up for a platform.
• Single sign-on (SSO): Single sign-on allows users to access multiple systems with a single login credential. SSO offers a seamless user experience between multiple interconnected applications and ensures zero friction while users switch from one application to another since they need not re-authenticate themselves while switching.

Best Practices for Password Storage and Transmission

Many businesses aren’t aware of the fact that a little glitch in handling passwords or storage could lead to severe consequences. And companies may end up losing brand reputation and even millions of dollars.

To ensure secure password storage and transmission, organizations should follow these best practices:

1. Use a secure transmission protocol: Passwords should be transmitted over a secure protocol, such as HTTPS, to prevent interception by attackers.
2. Salt and hash passwords should be salted and hashed before storing them in the database.
3. Store passwords in a secure location: Passwords should be stored in a secure location with restricted access.
4. Monitor password attempts: Organizations should monitor failed passwords to detect and prevent brute-force attacks.

Conclusion

Username and password authentication is a widely used method of verifying the identity of users accessing digital systems. While this method is convenient, it is also vulnerable to attacks and breaches.

Organizations should implement best practices to ensure secure authentication, such as creating a firm password policy, using salted and hashed passwords, implementing two-factor authentication, and using password managers.

Additionally, organizations should consider password alternatives, such as biometric authentication or single sign-on, to enhance security. By following these best practices, organizations can better protect their users' identities and sensitive data from attacks and breaches.