World Password[less] Day: The Best Password Is No Password

Today is World Password Day—but rather than celebrate stronger passwords, it’s time to focus on a better path forward: a passwordless future.

Why? Because in today’s security landscape, passwords aren’t protecting us—they’re putting us at risk.

In 2025, attackers don’t break in—they log in. According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 74% of breaches involve the human element, and stolen credentials remain a top cause. Password policies, MFA fatigue, and phishing-resistant controls are no longer enough. The reality is simple: Passwords are the weakest link in enterprise security. It’s time to eliminate them.

What Does Passwordless Really Mean?

Passwordless authentication means users gain secure access to systems, apps, and networks without ever needing to enter a password. At Portnox, we’ve made that future a reality—starting with access to the corporate network.

Through a cloud-native approach to Network Access Control (NAC), Portnox enables organizations to go passwordless at the network layer using:

• Automated certificate issuance
• Agentless device trust enforcement
• Risk-aware access decisions
• Continuous posture validation

Together, these capabilities make passwordless access scalable, secure, and easy to manage—without compromising on Zero Trust principles.

Why Passwordless Access Starts at the Network

Your network is the first line of defense—and also the first place attackers target once inside. If your wired, wireless, or VPN access still relies on usernames and passwords, you’re giving attackers an entry point.

By eliminating passwords, organizations can:

• Automate Passwordless Access with Certificates
  Digital certificates offer a secure, user-transparent way to authenticate devices without relying on passwords. Once issued, certificates eliminate the need for user-generated credentials, reducing the risk of password theft, reuse, and phishing attacks. Because authentication happens silently in the background, the user experience is seamless—and security improves by default.
• Enforce Device Trust Without Installing Agents
  Passwordless security should include not only who is accessing the network, but also what they’re using to access it. Device trust ensures only healthy, compliant endpoints are allowed in—regardless of whether they’re corporate-managed or personal devices (BYOD). Modern solutions can evaluate device posture and enforce access control without requiring agents or software installations, making it easier to scale and manage.
• Make Risk-Aware Access Decisions
  True passwordless security adapts to the real-time posture of a device. Factors like OS version, encryption status, endpoint protection, and jailbreak/root status can all inform whether access should be granted or denied. If a device falls out of compliance, access can be automatically limited or revoked—without relying on static credentials or outdated security assumptions.
• Leverage the Cloud for Scalable Access Control
  Passwordless access works best when it’s cloud-delivered. Cloud-native infrastructure makes it easier to issue and manage certificates, enforce policies across distributed environments, and integrate with identity providers and mobile device management (MDM) tools. The result: faster deployment, simplified operations, and a more consistent security posture across your organization.

The Business Case for Passwordless NAC

The business case for passwordless network access control (NAC) extends far beyond improved security—it delivers tangible operational and strategic benefits that impact the entire organization. For starters, eliminating passwords significantly reduces IT overhead, with password reset tickets costing an average of $70 each and accounting for over 40% of helpdesk calls. By automating certificate provisioning, passwordless NAC also streamlines onboarding and offboarding, helping organizations avoid delays and security gaps when employees join or leave.

From a compliance perspective, passwordless authentication aligns with growing regulatory demands for phishing-resistant access controls, including guidelines from CISA and NIST CSF 2.0. And perhaps most importantly, it enhances the user experience: no more forgotten passwords, lockouts, or login delays—just seamless, secure access that removes friction without sacrificing protection. passwords or login delays—just seamless, secure access.

Why It Matters

Going passwordless isn’t just a security improvement—it’s a strategic move for your organization.

• Stronger Security Posture: Passwords are easy to phish. Certificates are not. Going passwordless eliminates a major attack vector and closes the door on credential-based attacks.
• Improved User Experience: No more forgotten passwords or repeated lockouts. Users connect seamlessly, without even thinking about how they’re authenticating.
• Lower Operational Costs: Fewer password resets mean fewer helpdesk tickets and less downtime.
• Faster, Safer Onboarding: New employees or contractors can be provisioned with secure access in minutes through certificate enrollment.

World Password[less] Day Is About Moving Forward

Legacy NAC and password-centric authentication models no longer cut it in today’s hybrid, perimeter-less world. Cybersecurity professionals need tools that reduce risk, reduce friction, and reduce complexity.

Going passwordless isn’t an all-or-nothing leap—it’s a strategic shift. Start with your most critical control point: network access. By removing passwords from the network layer, you instantly reduce your attack surface and move toward a more secure, more manageable authentication model.

On this World Password Day, let’s move past password hygiene tips and embrace a better future—one where credentials aren’t your liability.

Because the best password is no password at all.