Authentication Modernization
Industry
General
Use Case
Authentication Modernization: Eliminating Legacy MFA Vulnerabilities and Costs using Passwordless technology
Problem Description
Organizations across all industries continue to rely on password-based authentication combined with vulnerable MFA methods like SMS codes and email OTPs, creating significant security gaps and operational inefficiencies. SMS-based authentication suffers from SIM swapping attacks, SS7 protocol vulnerabilities, and poor user experience in areas with limited cellular coverage. Email OTPs are susceptible to account takeover, phishing attacks, and email server compromises. These legacy systems generate 20-30% of help desk tickets through password resets and MFA failures, while failing to prevent 61% of data breaches that still involve compromised credentials. Regulatory frameworks increasingly discourage SMS-based authentication, creating compliance risks, while the average enterprise manages 87 different SaaS applications some requiring separate authentication flows or multiple Identity Providers due to organisational realities or M&A history.
Solution Using Verifiable Credentials
Verifiable credentials enable truly passwordless authentication where users present cryptographically signed digital identities instead of passwords and vulnerable OTPs. Users authenticate using biometric verification, compared to information stored in their verifiable credential, held in their digital wallet. They then present identity assertions and authorization claims, again secured in their device’s wallet. These credentials eliminate phishing attacks since there are no passwords or codes to steal, while providing stronger authentication assurance through cryptographic proof. Organizations can implement credential-based single sign-on across all applications, with credentials containing role-based access claims that are verified in real-time. The system maintains privacy through selective disclosure, allowing users to prove identity attributes without revealing unnecessary personal information in certain circumstances.
Monetary and Operational Outcomes
* Security Improvement
Eliminates 95% of credential-based attacks including phishing, credential stuffing, and man-in-the-middle attacks against traditional MFA
* Help Desk Reduction
Decreases password-related support tickets by 80-90%, reducing help desk costs by $25-70 per user per incident
* User Experience
Reduces average authentication time from 45-60 seconds to under 10 seconds while improving success rates by 40%
* Compliance Benefits
Meets NIST AAL2/AAL3 requirements and emerging regulatory standards that discourage SMS-based authentication
* Operational Efficiency
Eliminates password rotation policies, reduces account lockouts by 85%, and enables seamless SSO across cloud and on-premises applications, reducing infrastructure complexity, delivering 15-25% productivity improvements for knowledge workers
