Software Access

The average computer user has between 5 and 15 username/password combinations. Some of the accounts demand that you use a specific number of symbols and digits, while others require you to change your password every 60 days. When you add to this list the codes needed to access things like ATMs, home alarm systems, padlocks, or voicemail, the number of passwords becomes staggering. The feeling of frustration that results from maintaining a memorized list of login credentials has grown so prevalent that it actually has a name: password fatigue. Single sign-on (SSO) authentication and password management software can help mitigate this problem, but there are drawbacks to both approaches. SSO authentication can be used for independent software systems. With SSO, users log in once to access a variety of different applications. the SSO software then automatically logs the user in to other accounts within the system. SSO software is typically used by large companies, schools, or libraries. However, SSO may be quite vulnerable. If a user loses or forgets the password required to log in to SSO software, the user will then lose access to all of the applications linked to the SSO account. Furthermore, if a hacker can crack the SSO password, he or she will then have access to all of the linked accounts. Although most websites or network systems allow users to recover or change lost passwords by providing email addresses or answering a prompt, this process can waste time and cause further frustration. What is more, recovering a forgotten password is only a temporary solution; it does not address the larger problem of password fatigue. Some computer scientists have suggested that instead of passwords, computers rely on biometrics. This is a method of recognizing human users based on unique traits, such as fingerprints, voice, or DNA. While biometrics would certainly eliminate the need for people to remember passwords, the use of biometrics raises ethical questions concerning privacy and can also be expensive to implement. The problems associated with SSO, password management software, and biometrics continue to stimulate software engineers and computer security experts to search for the cure to password fatigue. Until they find the perfect solution, however, everyone will simply have to rely on the flawed password system currently in place.