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The FIDO Alliance today launched its Online Authentication Barometer to track the uptake of secure authentication technologies among the general public. The Online Authentication Barometer provides baseline insights into the state of online authentication in 10 countries across the globe, including 6 in Asia Pacific, with future releases of the barometer able to compare changes in behaviours and attitudes over time.

It reveals that biometrics, such as using fingerprints and face scans, are being used by at least 40% of people and are by far the most popular form of online authentication, second only to passwords. The barometer highlights how adoption of biometrics for online authentication varies widely internationally, yet all countries surveyed reported at least 25% of the population are using biometrics in some capacity.

Passwords and other knowledge-based approaches such as OTPs have historically dominated online authentication and the barometer confirms this is still the case. However, major platform and device manufacturers including Apple, Google and Microsoft have begun adopting possession-based, passwordless alternatives into their core product offerings to improve security and convenience. As these and other initiatives gain traction, the world’s reliance on passwords and other server-side “secrets” is expected to decrease in favour of modern solutions, including biometrics, security keys and other on-device approaches for user authentication.

Biometrics are the most popular of these possession-based and password-free authentication options, and data from the barometer reveals why. Over 3 in 10 respondents in Asia Pacific perceived biometrics to be the most secure way for people to verify their identity online, aligning with the trend worldwide. It was also the most popular method of logging in to their online accounts, apps and smart devices, accounting for 29% of people surveyed.

“Time and time again we see data breaches, ransomware and other attacks that leverage vulnerabilities associated with passwords and other ‘what you know’ forms of authentication, including OTPs as a second factor”, said Andrew Shikiar, Executive Director & CMO at the FIDO Alliance. “The industry at large must shift towards possession-based factors such as biometrics and security keys that are not susceptible to remote attacks such as phishing, credential stuffing and various forms of social engineering that frankly are difficult if not impossible for the average user to detect. We are pleased to establish and share the Online Authentication Barometer as a mechanism to track our collective progress towards a safer and more secure networked economy”.

The Online Authentication Barometer also found encouraging data on people actively taking steps to protect their accounts from being hacked or compromised. The vast majority of people in Asia Pacific (84%) took action, suggesting high levels of awareness on the security issues passwords have. However, despite biometrics being recognised for better security, 18% of Asia Pacific respondents still consider passwords to be the most secure way to authenticate themselves online, and 13% believing SMS OTPs are the most secure. This was ahead of some of the strongest methods available today, including authentication software (8%) and physical security keys (4%).

Of the 15% who didn’t take any steps to improve their online security, the majority said they didn’t know how (38%), with 27% saying it is too complicated and 18% believing a data breach or hack would not happen to them.

The full Online Authentication Barometer from the FIDO Alliance can be found here.

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