Hack using Passwordless account

Question

I chose to turn on the Passwordless account as a means of additional security when signing in to my Microsoft account. What if a hacker who knows my email decides to sign in remotely (in another location) to my Microsoft account and then sends a notification to my phone's Microsoft Authenticator and then I mistakenly approve it, does it mean that the hacker will have EASY access to my account without any further checks or defenses?

Answer 1

Hi Michael, thank you for your feedback. Please note that nothing is 100% secure. Passwordless is more secure than using a password. That is why you must have full security enabled on your computer and most importantly be aware of emails asking you to click on something. Also, you need to be careful on the internet with dodgy websites. But so far as passwords are concerned Passwordless is the best you are going to get, until they think of something better. Good luck and be careful.

Answer 2

If a hacker gains access to your email and tries to sign in remotely to your Microsoft account, they will still need to provide additional verification to access your account, even if you have turned on the Passwordless account feature. This means that they will need to provide additional verification such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, or a security code sent to your phone or email.

If you mistakenly approve a notification from the Microsoft Authenticator app, the hacker will not be able to access your account without providing additional verification. However, it is important to be vigilant and not approve any notifications that you did not initiate or expect. If you suspect that your account has been compromised, you should immediately change your password and contact Microsoft customer support for further assistance.

Passwordless authentication | Microsoft Security

Answer 3

I chose to turn on the Passwordless account as a means of additional security when signing in to my Microsoft account. What if a hacker who knows my email decides to sign in remotely (in another location) to my Microsoft account and then sends a notification to my phone's Microsoft Authenticator and then I mistakenly approve it, does it mean that the hacker will have EASY access to my account without any further checks or defenses?

Thank you for a wonderful reply @RonBarker. One last question though. From your response, "This means that they will need to provide additional verification such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, or a security code sent to your phone or email.", what if the hacker guesses the right pattern. It might not be the best question but I need a response if there is.

Answer 4

Thank you for the feedback. Good luck.

Answer 5

Hi Michael, thank you for your feedback. Please note that nothing is 100% secure. Passwordless is the more secure than using a password. That is why you must have full security enabled on your computer and most importantly be aware of emails asking you to click on something. Also, you need to be careful on the internet with dodgy websites. But so far as passwords are concerned Passwordless is the best you are going to get, until they think of something better. Good luck and be careful.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Your responses were just perfect. I really appreciate it.