Unlocking our smartphone’s home screen is designed to be easy. Given the number of times we do it every day — somewhere above 60, on average — we can be thankful that the process is simple.
We might use a fingerprint, or Face ID, or draw a pattern, or type in a PIN, and we’re in. But what if every website and app we use worked this way? What if we could bin our passwords; forget the tests we’re forced to take to prove that we're not robots; and say goodbye to texted confirmation codes and access our accounts securely, safely and easily?
That’s the idea behind Fido2, an emerging system which lets us use that same mobile unlocking procedure to identify ourselves to online services. Rather appropriately, Fido stands for Fast Identity Online, and its aim is clear: to relieve us from the burden of having to think up passwords, remember them and keep them safe from prying eyes, while also reducing the incidence of fraud, scams and cyber crime.
People that I seriously trust in cryptography say that this is secure, and I'm not going to argue with them
Per Thorsheim,
founder of PasswordsCon
At the beginning of this month, Fido received a huge boost when Microsoft, Google and Apple put out a joint press release giving it their wholehearted backing, promising “consistent, secure and easy passwordless sign-ins to consumers across devices and platforms".
Over the course of the year, all three companies will be rolling out enhanced capabilities for Fido2. Some online services already employ it, but they require the user to type in their existing password to set it up, which somewhat defeats the object.
Soon, however, we will be able to sign into participating services automatically by choosing a Fido2 login option on screen and authenticating on a mobile device with a PIN, fingerprint or face. If we want to sign in on a nearby desktop computer, we can still use that mobile device to authenticate. No passwords are needed at any point.
“This announcement [from Microsoft, Google and Apple] is a very big thing,” says Per Thorsheim, founder of PasswordsCon, an international conference dedicated to digital authentication. “We have seen so many different attempts at getting rid of passwords, but with Fido2 the usability improves a lot, and it’ll be built into laptops, modern computers, tablets and phones. The general public will finally have access to it.”
You rarely see Microsoft, Apple and Google speak as one, but their desire to kill off the password is evidently strong enough for them to work together to help to achieve it.
The simplicity of using Fido2 belies the complex cryptography which enables it to work, but crucially, no personal information is transmitted; the website simply knows that it's you, and Thorsheim is emphatic that it’s safe. “People that I seriously trust in cryptography say that this is secure, and I'm not going to argue with them. It’s proven. I hate to say it, but any weakness in the system is down to people. Us.”
It’s clear that moving to a passwordless world will create an even greater dependence on mobile devices, and the first question that tends to be asked of the proposal is: 'What if I lose my phone? Or it’s stolen?'. Both Google and Apple have indicated that the secret passkey which enables the Fido2 magic to happen could be retrieved from the Cloud and moved to a new device, but there is clearly no perfect system; humans are fallible and other humans are eager to exploit that fallibility.
Evidently the onus will be on us, the end users, to recognise and understand the enhanced role that mobile devices will play in a passwordless world. And that may not be easy for certain parts of society, according to Thorsheim. “I know my mum is going to ask me ‘Where's the password? Where's the PIN? Where is the secret thing that only I’m supposed to know?’,” he says. “I have no doubt that some people will perceive it as less secure because there isn't a password, and I’ve no idea how much time will have to be spent to try to convince them of [its safety].”
While advances in technology often happen at lightning speed, personal security is a very human issue which moves much more slowly. Andrew Shikiar, the executive director of the Fido Alliance, has said that he expects 90 per cent of the major online services to offer passwordless access by 2025.
Thorsheim, however, is more cautious. “I think Fido2 looks and feels really good, but I still say that passwords are going to be here for the foreseeable future,” he says. “It's going to take one, if not two, generations before we eventually see something like Fido2 get widespread adoption.”
So it seems that we may have to hang on to our much-used passwords for just a little longer. But while we do, let’s make sure they’re not “123456” (or, perish the thought, “password”).
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
How to book
Call DHA on 800342
Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation text message
Present the SMS and your Emirates ID at the centre
DHA medical personnel will take a nasal swab
Check results within 48 hours on the DHA app under ‘Lab Results’ and then ‘Patient Services’
Results
57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
