Why strong authentication beyond the browser will define the future of connected devices

Date:
Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:37:23 +0000

Description:
Authentication standards need to extend beyond the browser to cover the full spectrum of connected devices, from vehicles to smart home infrastructure.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Pro Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter The way we interact with technology is no longer confined to the browser. Cars, smart homes, wearable devices, and industrial systems are now deeply connected, driving unprecedented convenience and innovation, but also creating vast new attack surfaces.

And regulators are taking notice: In the automotive sector, global cybersecurity regulations are setting baseline requirements for vehicle software updates and data protection through UNECE WP.29; the U.S. federal governments IoT labeling program, meanwhile, is pushing manufacturers to
build more secure products from the start. Andrew Shikiar Social Links Navigation

Executive Director and CMO at FIDO Alliance. Security cannot be an afterthought The message is clear: security can no longer be an afterthought. All connected devices must be built with strong authentication at their core. Article continues below You may like Authentication in 2026 - moving beyond foundational MFA to tackle the new era of attacks Its time cyber security understood human behavior and acted accordingly Beyond cracked screens: how device protection can evolve to cover our digital lives

How enterprises approach security can vary, particularly for those who are newer to the world of authentication than their legacy counterparts in tech and banking. Yet they can all benefit from one unified source.

FIDOs user and device authentication standards, already proven at internet scale in consumer platforms and financial services, can be embedded directly into connected devices. Dissolving boundaries The boundaries between consumer devices, vehicles, and enterprise systems are quickly dissolving. A modern
car is no longer just a machine; it is effectively a mobile computer that seamlessly links to smartphones , cloud applications, and payment platforms.

A driver unlocking their car, an engineer accessing industrial machinery, or
a consumer pairing a smart appliance should all benefit from the same phishing-resistant, cryptography-based security that has already replaced billions of passwords online. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Instead of bolting on security measures after the fact, manufacturers can design devices with secure sign-in and trust models from day one.

This convergence creates enormous opportunity but also exposes shared vulnerabilities. A phishing-resistant login for a cloud service is only as effective as the weakest connected link in the chain.

If a malicious actor can compromise a connected thermostat in a factory or exploit a weak credential in a vehicles infotainment system, they can often gain a pathway into far more critical systems. What to read next The future
of agentic commerce: The role identity plays in hybrid experiences The human paradox at the center of modern cyber resilience Why stolen credentials continue to work even where MFA is in place

Enterprises are already experiencing this in real time. Bring-your-own-device policies blurred personal and professional boundaries years ago; now, bring-your-own-IoT is creating similar challenges, with employees using connected wearables, smart assistants, or even vehicles that link into corporate accounts.

The result is a patchwork of authentication models with passwords in one place, biometrics in another, device tokens somewhere else that only work to create confusion for users and costly complexity for IT teams. Unified approach A unified approach, by contrast, can extend beyond the web browser
to cover every connected endpoint. FIDO authentication provides that framework.

Whether someone is signing into a collaboration tool , authenticating to
their car, or controlling smart infrastructure, the same secure,
interoperable standard provides ease of use and peace of mind.

The result? Simplified security, consistency for users, and lower integration costs for manufacturers and enterprises alike.

We are at an inflection point. The industries that embrace this unified model will be best positioned to build trusted ecosystems where consumers, employees, and businesses interact seamlessly and securely, regardless of the device or environment.

The connected world, whether in the car, the factory, or the living room, needs a consistent, scalable approach to authentication. As regulators raise the bar and consumers demand simpler, more secure solutions, enterprises can no longer afford the risks of fragmented systems.

Embedding FIDO standards into connected devices ensures that security becomes an enabler of innovation that helps lay the foundation for connected ecosystems to truly thrive. We've featured the best endpoint protection. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro



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