Yubico will help Windows users use fingerprints instead of passwords

What you need to know

• More and more companies are moving away from traditional password mindsets.
• Biometric data is becoming a more popular means of password replacement.
• Yubico's YubiKey Bio allows you to make your PC fingerprint-unlockable.

Users no longer content with the age-old, tried and true method of typing in passwords can opt for a less common type of security: Biometric security. It's been around for a while, especially in the smartphone sector, but it's now possible to have that fingerprint convenience wherever, whenever, via the power of a little pluggable security key. Yubico's YubiKey Bio is one such tiny device that can enable you to ditch logins for good.

Here are the big items Yubico lists about its YubiKey Bio - FIDO Edition:

• Meets the most stringent hardware security requirements with fingerprint templates stored in the secure element on the key
• Works out-of-the-box with operating systems and browsers including Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, Linux, Chrome, and Edge
• Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F
• Available in both USB-A and USB-C form factors with biometric support

Edge and Windows itself aren't the only two Microsoft products YubiKey will work with. Also expect seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure Directory.

Yubico's product fits into the larger effort of technology companies pushing away from traditional password methods. Take a look at Microsoft, which recently announced that passwordless authentication for Microsoft accounts is the future. If you take advantage of that in conjunction with a YubiKey-esque device, you could well be on your way to no longer using traditional passwords at all.