Okta wants to help your business ditch passwords forever

The days of worrying about remembering passwords for your work devices may soon be at an end thanks to Okta.

The security firm has announced a new service that will allow companies to do away with passwords altogether.

Revealed today at the company's Oktane 2018 event in Las Vegas, Okta ThreatInsight combines context-specific information and real-time analysis to offer a more secure way to log in - without needing to remember passwords.

No more passwords

"Everyone knows passwords aren't a great solution....you need a complete picture", Okta CEO Todd McKinnon said at Oktane 18, "We're able to eliminate passwords completely." 

Due to be released in the second half of 2018, Okta, which counts the likes of Nordstrom and 20th Century Fox among its customers, says the new tool will allow companies to do away with passwords as their main authentication option.

Instead, the platform can detect possible security risks by analysing information such as the location of an IP address attempting to access a corporate network. The platform can also identify known devices, and if they are attempting to connect from an unfamiliar location, can block access.

“The best password is no password at all," McKinnon added. "Today’s threat actors are targeting the weakest point of your company’s security – your people – and too many are successfully compromising employee accounts due to poor or stolen passwords." 

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.

Latest in Security
Data Breach
Thousands of healthcare records exposed online, including private patient information
China
Juniper patches security flaws which could have let hackers take over your router
Representational image depecting cybersecurity protection
GitLab has patched a host of worrying security issues
Ai tech, businessman show virtual graphic Global Internet connect Chatgpt Chat with AI, Artificial Intelligence.
AI agents can be hijacked to write and send phishing attacks
China
Volt Typhoon threat group had access to American utility networks for the best part of a year
Abstract image of cyber security in action.
MassJacker malware targets those looking for pirated software
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over