Microsoft has joined the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance as a member of the Board of Directors. Microsoft will be working with the FIDO Alliance to produce open standards that will ensure interoperability among strong authentication methods and technologies.

Microsoft joins Google, BlackBerry and many other companies in making FIDO specifications the global standard for post-password authentication.

Launched in July 2012, the FIDO Alliance is hoping its specifications for security devices and browser plugins will be widely adopted across the technology industry. FIDO members collaborate to deliver open specifications for universal strong authentication that enables FIDO-compliant authentication methods to be interoperable, more secure and private, and easier to use.

Open FIDO specifications will support a full range of authentication technologies for operating systems, including biometrics such as fingerprint and iris scanners, voice and facial recognition, as well as existing solutions and communications standards, such as Trusted Platform Modules (TPM), USB Security Tokens, embedded Secure Elements (eSE), Smart Cards,Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Near Field Communication (NFC). FIDO specifications allow the interaction of technologies within a single infrastructure, enabling security options to be tailored to the needs of each user and organization.