FIDO Alliance and passwordless authentication: Imprivata joins the FIDO Alliance to revolutionize security

Today’s digital world demands strong, yet streamlined cybersecurity, and Imprivata and the FIDO Alliance are leading the charge towards a passwordless future. Learn how this non-profit organization promotes passwordless authentication methods that enhance security, reduce user fatigue, and streamline workflows.

In our digital age, having strong yet streamlined cybersecurity is essential. That’s why the movement towards passwordless authentication is gaining momentum. Leading this charge is the FIDO Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing global reliance on passwords. Imprivata recently became a member of the FIDO Alliance, which means that we’re helping establish and develop best practices and global policy for a passwordless future.

How does the FIDO Alliance promote a passwordless future?

The more we rely on passwords, the more cybersecurity risks we face. It’s widely known that passwords create significant fatigue, frustration, and workflow barriers for users. The FIDO Alliance is at the forefront of developing open standards for simpler and stronger authentication methods that don't rely on passwords.

FIDO authentication thwarts phishing attempts by creating cryptographic key pairs, called passkeys, which effectively block man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attacks. Passwordless FIDO (which stands for Fast Identity Online) protocols are designed to be scalable as well as phishing-resistant, and can be used to replace passwords with secure, fast login experiences for websites and applications. This approach significantly improves security and sign-in success rates, reduces login times, and decreases password reset and abandonment rates.

Passwordless authentication methods are simpler for users, and more secure. These advancements in online security are also easier for service providers to deploy and manage. Passwords are a “something you know” authentication factor, while passwordless solutions employ “something you have” and “something you are” factors, such as:

• Badge tap authentication
• Single sign-on (SSO)
• Multifactor authentication (MFA)
• Phone tokens
• Biometric identification (such as fingerprint or facial recognition technology)

What’s so bad about passwords?

Passwords served their purpose well for many years, but technology continues to evolve, and so does cybercrime. Considering that most end users have an average of 100 online accounts, and 77% of hacking incidents involve stolen credentials, it’s no surprise that this aging form of cybersecurity no longer offers the protection it once did.

Not only are passwords a frustration for end users, but they’re also a costly burden on IT departments. For example, the average labor cost for just one password reset is $70. Even higher are the costs associated with data breaches, and in 2025, the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. was $4.4 million.

Passwordless is about more than getting rid of passwords

Passwordless, as a goal, isn’t just about logging in without a password. It’s also about ensuring that identity and access management solutions are practical, cost-effective, and seamlessly integrated into daily workflows. No security solution can make a real difference unless it makes the lives of end users easier, not harder. And these solutions can be introduced in stages, so that organizations can gradually achieve a “no more passwords” goal in a way that works for their needs.

Top-tier passwordless solutions not only lower the risk of security breaches, but also address common issues such as password fatigue and the inefficiencies associated with password resets. For organizations, this means enhanced productivity and a reduced risk profile, with employees swiftly and securely accessing the tools they need whenever they need them.

By adopting user-friendly technologies like single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication (MFA), and facial recognition, organizations can protect their digital environments more effectively, ensuring operations are both secure and streamlined. The shift to passwordless authentication not only bolsters security, but also sets a new standard for how we access and interact with digital systems in a connected world.

Learn more about the benefits of passwordless authentication by downloading our whitepaper, "The journey to passwordless for healthcare."