Rethinking Authentication

Abstract

DONE? & IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT, there is little doubt that companies, organizations, and governments must make significant investments in developing, implementing, and supporting authentication for their digital systems. Perhaps because of this, an organization’s IT support center often takes a hard line when it comes to user’s authentication. Authentication tools typically take for granted that the user will do whatever it takes to authenticate. No surprise, users do not like being forced into a corner.1 They are resourceful and very creative in making it more manageable, usually by coming up with ways that circumvent the overall security of a system. Unfortunately, as the number and complexity of authentications for each user become greater, job satisfaction forworkers is likely to decrease.